bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Document Coherence Modeling
Authors: Shen Aili , Mistica Meladel , Salehi Bahar , Li Hang , Baldwin Timothy , Qi Jianzhong
Published: July 2021

While pretrained language models (LMs) have driven impressive gains over morpho-syntactic and semantic tasks, their ability to model discourse and pragmatic phenomena is less clear. As a step towards a better understanding of their discourse modeling capabilities, we propose a sentence intrusion detection task. We examine the performance of a broad range of pretrained LMs on this detection task for English. Lacking a dataset for the task, we introduce INSteD, a novel intruder sentence detection dataset, containing 170,000+ documents constructed from English Wikipedia and CNN news articles. Our experiments show that pretrained LMs perform impressively in in-domain evaluation, but experience a substantial drop in the cross-domain setting, indicating limited generalization capacity. Further results over a novel linguistic probe dataset show that there is substantial room for improvement, especially in the cross- domain setting.
Satan and Circumcision: The Devil as the ἄγγελος πονηρός in Barn 9:4
Authors: Soon Isaac T.
Published: July 2021

This study argues that the ἄγγελος πονηρός in Barn 9.4 was Satan. James Carleton Paget, Adolf Hilgenfeld, Ferdinand Prostmeier and Geza Vermes gestured toward this interpretation, but none offered evidence for this identification other than assertion. In Barnabas, there is a constellation of ideas that connect circumcision with Satan, namely circumcision with pagan idolatry (9.6), idolatry to demons (16.7), and finally idolatry and demons to Satan’s ultimate rule (18.1; 20.1). Satan is also related to other obsolete Jewish cultic practices (2.4, 6; 16.1–2, 7). Barnabas also repeatedly describes the devil with the adjective πονηρός. Additionally, the fourth-century papyrus PSI VII 757r reads ἄγγελος ὁ πονηρός, identifying the angel as Satan. The “Ethiopianisation” of Satan as “the black one” (as argued by Clare Rothschild) confirms this reading. Since “Ethiopians” practiced circumcision, the devil as a “the black one” associates Satan with circumcision.
Jōdo Shinshū in the UK
Authors: Matsunaga Louella
Published: July 2021

This article outlines the history of Jōdo Shinshū in the UK, and asks why it has remained little known there despite being one of the largest schools of Buddhism in Japan, with sizable overseas branches in the Americas. I argue that this is due, at least in part, to the absence of a settled Japanese migrant population in Europe, in contrast to the Americas, where Jōdo Shinshū has been sustained historically by its ethnic Japanese base, although this has changed somewhat in recent years. Another important factor is the unfamiliarity of “other power” Buddhism in Europe. With its emphasis on reliance on Amida Buddha, rather than more familiar forms of Buddhist practice like seated silent meditation, Jōdo Shinshū challenges popular conceptions of Buddhism outside Asia, and this may affect its appeal in a European context.
Japanese Buddhism and Ireland
Authors: Cox Laurence , Ó Laoidh John
Published: July 2021

This article argues that there is no single relationship between Japanese Buddhism and Ireland. Rather, there is a series of changing relationships mediated by different world-system contexts between one island and another (peripheral and post-colonial) one: as ethnographic information, as cultural influence and as religious practice. The process of building such relationships has a long history, stretching back to the Irish reception of both Jesuit and traveller’s accounts of Japan, later made concrete by early intermediaries like Lafcadio Hearn / Koizumi Yakumo and Charles Pfoundes. W.B. Yeats in particular helped to give Japanese Buddhism a significant place in Irish culture, notably in poetry. From the 1960s and 1970s, Japanese Buddhists started to settle in Ireland and Japanese Buddhism began to be practiced; both are now an established part of the Irish religious landscape. The article sketches this history, culminating in the present situation of Japanese Buddhism in Ireland.
EKŌ-JI
Authors: Nottelmann-Feil Marc
Published: July 2021

The EKŌ temple in Düsseldorf was built thanks to the initiative and financial support of the Japanese entrepreneur Numata Ehan as one part of a German-Japanese cultural center. Following the vision of its founder, the EKŌ temple is dedicated to all schools of Japanese Buddhism, even though its basic layout is that of a Shin Buddhist temple. This article explores Numata’s founding vision, which is based on a modern interpretation of Buddhism, and it also describes the different groups that are involved in the life of the temple today. Significantly, different conceptions of Buddhism and the meaning of a temple coexist at EKŌ. These differences are particularly noticeable between Western and Japanese visitors; furthermore, they hint at the different processes of modernization that Japanese Buddhism in the West and in Japan respectively underwent, both of which continue to influence Buddhism today.
Synthesis of Ag–Cu alloy nanosheets for ascorbic acid detection
Authors: Kong Lijun , Chen Jiahao , Peng Zehui , Zhang Jiawei , Gao Yuan , Yan Shancheng
Published: July 2021

Metal alloy nanosheets play a very important role as catalysts, which also show obvious advantages in the field of biosensor. Compared with traditional methods, such as enzyme method, gas chromatography or optical absorbance, the detection of ascorbic acid is simpler and more stable
by spectroscopy. Ag–Cu alloy nanosheets with a thickness of about 1–3 nm and an average lateral size of 3–5 nm were synthesized in this study by the soft template method. These nanosheets were used to construct a sensor for measuring the concentration of ascorbic acid. The
initial UV-Vis absorption peaks for the Ag–Cu alloy nanosheets in aqueous solution were effectively quenched upon addition of ascorbic acid. As the ascorbic acid concentration was in the range of 5–250 mmol/L changes, the UV absorbance intensity for the sensor also changed. Because
of its wide detection range, high sensitivity, and excellent stability, the Ag–Cu alloy sensor method may be an excellent alternative to the traditional ascorbic acid measure method.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of new 1,3,4-oxadiazole based dioxovanadium (VO+2) complexes and their in-vitro antimicrobial potency
Authors: Alghamdi Hanan , Nazreen Syed , Elhenawy Ahmed A. , Abdelbaset Mohamed
Published: July 2021

The antimicrobial resistance is a global human threat which has led to the withdrawal of antibiotics from the market. Therefore, it is a need to develop new and effective antimicrobial agents to overcome this problem. In this paper, new Dioxovanadium(V) complexes (1–8) with ligands
viz. (2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)phenol; L1) and 2,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (L2) were synthesized and assessed for antimicrobial-activity. Both a bidentate and tetradentate oxadiazole ligands coordinate with vanadium ions through the nitrogen and oxygen atoms
giving octahedral geometries. Thermal analysis and IR data confirmed the presence of hydrated water in the metal-complexes. The investigated compounds were assessed for antimicrobial viz four strains of bacterial and one a fungal strain. The antibacterial data showed that, the complexes (1–8)
are lower potency against bacterial strain than the free ligands except (5) and (7) complexes. These complexness showed the highest antibacterial potency via the Staphylococcus aureus. All investigated compounds were inactive against C. albicans except complexes 2 and 5 which showed
high activity. The performance of DFT was conducted to examine an interaction mode of the target compounds with biological system. The QSPR was calculated as: optimization geometries, (FMOs), and chemical-reactivities for the synthesized compounds. The (MEPs) were figured to predict the interaction
behavior of the ligand and its complexes against the receptor. The molecular docking was performed against DNA gyrase to study the interaction mode with biological system.
Voltammetric Detection of Trace Elements in Various Biological Matrices
Authors: Gürünlüoğlu Hatice , Erdoğdu Gamze
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this work is to analyse Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd simultaneously in biological samples such as serum, hair, tooth and bone using differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV). Therefore, suitable sample preparation and experimental conditions are determined. Trace metal concentrations of biological samples are measured and compared with the literature values. Cu, Zn and Pb are found in hair, tooth and bone samples while Cu and Zn metals is found in serum sample.
On the Sensitivity of Hurricane Intensity and Structure to Horizontal Tracer Advection Schemes in FV3
Authors: Gao Kun , Harris Lucas , Zhou Linjiong , Bender Morris , Morin Matthew
Published: July 2021

We investigate the sensitivity of hurricane intensity and structure to the horizontal tracer advection in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Finite-Volume Cubed-Sphere Dynamical Core (FV3). We compare two schemes, a monotonic scheme and a less diffusive positive-definite scheme. The positive-definite scheme leads to significant improvement in the intensity prediction relative to the monotonic scheme in a suite of 5-day forecasts that mostly consist of rapidly intensifying hurricanes. Notable storm structural differences are present: the radius of maximum wind (RMW) is smaller and eyewall convection occurs farther inside the RMW when the positive-definite scheme is used. Moreover, we find that the horizontal tracer advection scheme affects the eyewall convection location by affecting the moisture distribution in the inner-core region. This study highlights the importance of dynamical core algorithms in hurricane intensity prediction.
Deep brain stimulation for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder should be an accepted therapy in Australia
Authors: Mosley Philip E , Velakoulis Dennis , Farrand Sarah , Marsh Rodney , Mohan Adith , Castle David , Sachdev Perminder S
Published: July 2021

Deep brain stimulation has shown promise for the treatment of severe, treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder. With the recent publication of the first Australian, randomised, sham-controlled trial of deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder, there are now four placebo-controlled trials demonstrating the efficacy of this therapy. Together with recent data identifying a biological substrate of effective stimulation that can predict response and that has been successfully reproduced, studies comparing and finding equivalent efficacy among different targets, as well as recent, large, open trials supporting the long-term effectiveness of deep brain stimulation, we argue that this should now be considered an accepted therapy for a select group of patients in the Australasian setting. We call on the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists to revise their memorandum describing deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder as an ‘ experimental’ treatment and recognise that it has proven efficacy. We stress that this should remain a therapy offered only to those with high treatment-refractory illnesses and only at specialised centres where there is an experienced multidisciplinary team involved in work-up, implantation and follow-up and also where frameworks are in place to provide careful clinical governance and ensure appropriate fully informed consent.
Wasta and its relationship to employment status and income in the Arab Middle East
Authors: Baranik Lisa , Gorman Brandon , Wright Natalie
Published: July 2021

Wasta is an Arabic concept that describes the use of close friends and family members, rather than formal means, to resolve conflicts and gain access to resources. An overwhelming majority of people in the Arab Middle East report that wasta is essential for navigating their careers. Despite these claims, the relationships between wasta, employment status, and income have not yet been empirically tested. In the current study, the authors examine 5,622 participant responses across five Arab countries (Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and Algeria) to examine the relationships between the tendency to use wasta and employment status, individual income, and family income. As expected, the tendency to use wasta was related to individual income, family income, and employment status. The relationship between the tendency to use wasta and family income was moderated by education, such that there was a stronger relationship among participants reporting lower educational levels. Education did not moderate the relationship between wasta and individual income or employment status.
Policy and Environmental Predictors of Park Visits During the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Getting Out While Staying in
Authors: Curtis David S. , Rigolon Alessandro , Schmalz Dorothy L. , Brown Barbara B.
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered visitation patterns to parks, with potential effects on human health. Little is known about park use early in the pandemic, how park availability influenced use, and whether park visits accelerated COVID-19 spread. Using weekly cell phone location data for 620 U.S. counties, we show park visits decreased by an average 26% between March 15 and May 9, 2020. Net of weekly trends, park visits were 2.2% lower when stay-at-home orders were in effect, yet increased by 8.4% with school closures and 4.4% with business closures. Park visits decreased less during the pandemic in counties where park availability was high. Levels of park visits were not associated with COVID-19 growth rate or incidence in the following weeks. Thus, parks served as recreation and leisure outlets when schools and businesses closed, especially where parks were more available, with no evidence of park use increasing COVID-19 spread.
Using Proanthocyanidin as a Root Dentin Conditioner for GIC Restorations
Authors: Cai J. , Burrow M.F. , Manton D.J. , Palamara J.E.A.
Published: July 2021

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are considered the material of choice for restoration of root carious lesions (RCLs). When bonding to demineralized dentin, the collapse of dentinal collagen during restorative treatment may pose challenges. Considering its acidic nature and collagen biomodification effects, proanthocyanidin (PAC) could be potentially used as a dentin conditioner to remove the smear layer while simultaneously acting to biomodify the dentinal collagen involved in the bonding interface. In this study, 6.5% w/v PAC was used as a conditioner for sound (SD) and laboratory demineralized (DD) root dentin before bonding to resin-modified GIC (FII), casein phosphopeptide–amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP)–modified GIC (FVII), or a high-viscosity GIC (FIX). Root dentin conditioned with deionized distilled water (DDW) or polyacrylic acid (PAA) served as controls. Results indicated FII showed higher shear bond strength (SBS) on SD than the other 2 GICs, especially in PAA-conditioned samples; FIX showed significantly higher SBS than FII and FVII on PAA- or PAC-conditioned DD. In each category of GIC, PAA and PAC did not have a significant influence on SBS in most cases compared to DDW except for a significant decrease in PAC-conditioned SD bonded to FII and a significant increase in PAA-conditioned DD bonded to FIX. The bonding interface between GIC and SD was generally more resistant to the acid-base challenge than DD. Although the alterations in failure modes indicated a compromised interfacial interaction between GICs and PAC-treated root dentin, biomodification effects of PAC on dentin were observed from Raman microspectroscopy analysis in terms of the changes in mineral-to-matrix ratio and hydroxyproline-to-proline ratio of dentin adjacent to the bonding interface, especially of DD. Results from this study also indicated the possibility of using in situ characterization such as Raman microspectroscopy as a complementary approach to SBS test to investigate the integrity of the bonding interface.
Non-isolated high step-up DC/DC power converter with coupled-inductor
Authors: Liu Van-Tsai , Tseng Kuo-Ching , Wu Yue-Han
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a non-isolated single switch converter with high voltage gain. Its circuit topology is combined with coupled-inductor, clamp circuit, and voltage lift capacitor techniques. The proposed converter has several advantages: First, the circuit is controlled by only single pulse width modulation (PWM) for the power switch, which keeps the circuit simple. Secondly, the proposed converter is used as a clamping circuit,which let the energy of the leakage inductance can be circulated to the capacitor, so that the voltage spike on the active switch can be suppressed, and improves efficiency. This paper will introduce the principle of action, theoretical analysis, and experimental waveform in order. Finally, in the case of input voltage of 48 V, output voltage of 400 V, and output power of 1 kW, the performance of the proposed converter is verified. As a result, the maximum efficiency is up to 96.5% and full load efficiency is 92.3%.
Experts’ opinion on the detection and management of prediabetes in Lebanon
Authors: Andari Emile , Atallah Paola , Azar Sami , Echtay Akram , Jambart Selim , Saab Charles , Howlett Harry CS , Al-Naqshbandi Murad
Published: July 2021

Given that the complications of type 2 diabetes can start at an early stage, early detection and appropriate management of prediabetes are essential. We aimed to develop an expert opinion on prediabetes in Lebanon to pave the way for national guidelines tailored for the Lebanese population in the near future. A panel of seven diabetes experts conducted a thorough literature review and discussed their opinions and experiences before coming up with a set of preliminary recommendations for the detection and management of prediabetes in Lebanon. Lebanese physicians employ multiple tests for the diagnosis of prediabetes and no national cut-off values exist. The panel agreed that prediabetes screening should be focused on patients exceeding 45 years of age with otherwise no risk factors and on adults with risk factors. The panel reached that fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c should be used for prediabetes diagnosis in Lebanon. FPG values of 100–125 mg/dL or HbA1c values of 5.7%–6.4% were agreed upon as indicative of prediabetes. For the management of prediabetes, a three-step approach constituting lifestyle modifications, pharmacological treatment and bariatric surgery is recommended. There should be more focus on research on prediabetes in Lebanon. This preliminary report will be further discussed with the Lebanese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids in 2021 in order to come up with the first Lebanese national guidelines for the detection and management of prediabetes in Lebanon.
Carbon deposition mechanism of molten salt cleaning and optimization of multicomponent molten salt formula for remanufacturing
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Zhang Shanguo , Li Jianyong , Li Jianfeng , Zhou Xin , Wang Liming , Li Fangyi , Man Jia , Jia Xiujie , Yao Shuaishuai
Published: July 2021

In remanufacturing engineering, cleaning is the key factor for subsequent blank inspection and parts repair. Molten salt has the characteristics of low viscosity, good fluidity, and strong chemical stability. Salt bath cleaning can be comprehensively applied to remove various organic pollutants. Molten salt has the function of self-cleaning. The dirt in the cleaning pool can be decomposed and reused. Moreover, the waste molten salt is massive, and the waste residue is easy to treat. The formation and adsorption mechanism of carbon deposition was explored, and the formation mechanism of carbon deposition was verified by experiments. Then, the existing formula was improved by mixing experiment and compared with the current cleaning method; the cleaning effect was excellent. A new molten salt formula is proposed on the basis of the research on solar thermal storage medium. The composition percentage and the optimal process parameters of the new molten salt formula were determined on the basis of the experimental design of mixture. The cleaning effect of the new formula is good.
A new evaluation and prediction model of sound quality of high-speed permanent magnet motor based on genetic algorithm-radial basis function artificial neural network
Authors: Hu Kai , Zhang Guangming , Zhang Wenyi
Published: July 2021

Sound quality (SQ) has become an important index to measure the competitiveness of motor products. To better evaluate and optimize SQ, a novelty SQ evaluation and prediction model of high-speed permanent magnet motor (HSPMM) with better accuracy is presented in this research. Six psychoacoustic parameters of A-weighted sound pressure level (ASPL), loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength (FS), and perferred-frequency speech interference (PSIL) were adopted to objectively evaluate the SQ of HSPMM under multiple operating conditions and subjective evaluation was also conducted by the combination of semantic subdivision method and grade scoring method. The evaluation results show that the SQ is poor, which will have a certain impact on human psychology and physiology. The correlation between the objective evaluation parameters and the subjective scores is analyzed by coupling the subjective and objective evaluation results. The average error of multiple linear regression (MLR) model is 7.10%. It has good accuracy, but poor stability. In order to improve prediction accuracy, a new predicted model of radial basis function (RBF) artificial neural network was put forward based on genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. Compared with MLR, its average error rate is reduced by 3.16% and the standard deviation is reduced by 1.841. In addition, the weight of each objective parameter was analyzed. The new predicted model has a better accuracy. It can evaluate and optimize the SQ exactly. The research methods and conclusions of this paper can be extended to the evaluation, prediction, and optimization of SQ of other motors.
Do Regional Trade Agreements Enhance International Tourism Flows? Evidence from a Cross-Country Analysis
Authors: Khalid Usman , Okafor Luke Emeka , Burzynska Katarzyna
Published: July 2021

This study investigates the effect of regional trade agreements (RTAs)—including preferential and free trade agreements, customs unions, and common markets—on bilateral tourism flows. We explore these effects using a panel gravity data set of 163 destination countries, 171 source countries, and 13,589 country-pairs from 1995 to 2015. This is the first large cross-country study to undertake such an integrated analysis using the gravity framework. Results show that all types of RTAs have a positive and significant effect on bilateral tourism flows. The overall indicator of RTAs that captures the combined effect of all types of RTAs on bilateral tourism flows is also positive and significant, on average, as well as when different regions are separately evaluated. These findings underscore the importance of strong economic integration in fostering international tourism flows. Policies aimed at improving a country’s economic integration with other countries can help promote international tourism flows.
The Multidimensional Religious Ideology scale
Authors: Wildman Wesley J , Wood Connor P , Caldwell-Harris Catherine , DiDonato Nicholas , Radom Aimee
Published: July 2021

The Multidimensional Religious Ideology (MRI) scale is a new 43-item measure that quantifies conservative versus liberal aspects of religious ideology. The MRI focuses on recurring features of ideology rooted in innate moral instincts while capturing salient differences in the ideological profiles of distinct groups and individuals. The MRI highlights how religious ideology differs from political ideology while maintaining a robust grounding in the social psychology of ideology generally. Featuring three major dimensions (religious beliefs, religious practices, and religious morality) and eight subdimensions, the MRI is sensitive enough to generate novel insights into religious ideology across demographic groups and individual differences. The MRI is also summative, yielding a single quantitative measurement of left–right religious ideology with good scale and test–retest reliability. Analysis of 839 respondents across two studies confirmed the widespread assumption that religious ideology is a parallel construct to political ideology, emerging from similar foundations but following a distinct set of rules. The MRI shows the importance of conceptualizing ideology in ways that access the full spectrum of real-world ideological convictions—an important reminder, given the salience of religious factors for influencing ideology generally.
Symptoms, complications and management of long COVID: a review
Authors: Aiyegbusi Olalekan Lee , Hughes Sarah E , Turner Grace , Rivera Samantha Cruz , McMullan Christel , Chandan Joht Singh , Haroon Shamil , Price Gary , Davies Elin Haf , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Sapey Elizabeth , Calvert Melanie J ,   on behalf of the TLC Study Group
Published: July 2021

Globally, there are now over 160 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 3 million deaths. While the majority of infected individuals recover, a significant proportion continue to experience symptoms and complications after their acute illness. Patients with ‘long COVID’ experience a wide range of physical and mental/psychological symptoms. Pooled prevalence data showed the 10 most prevalent reported symptoms were fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, cough, chest pain, altered smell, altered taste and diarrhoea. Other common symptoms were cognitive impairment, memory loss, anxiety and sleep disorders. Beyond symptoms and complications, people with long COVID often reported impaired quality of life, mental health and employment issues. These individuals may require multidisciplinary care involving the long-term monitoring of symptoms, to identify potential complications, physical rehabilitation, mental health and social services support. Resilient healthcare systems are needed to ensure efficient and effective responses to future health challenges.
The rationale for embedding ethics and public value in public administration programmes
Authors: Fuertes Vanesa
Published: July 2021

When crises occur, revisiting given knowledge and practices seems sensible and necessary. For instance, the recent financial crisis in 2008 lead to questioning the role played by financial institutions and business schools in precipitating the crisis by allowing questionable professional ethics to go unchallenged. There is a current crisis in public administration in the UK, visible in the growing challenges to public sector professionals in their practice and in the increased questioning of the government as a guarantor of public services and welfare. To understand the current situation, exploring the role of public administration teaching and professional organisations in the UK is key. Have we perhaps neglected the teaching of ethics and public value as crucial tenets to the profession and to its practice? This paper explores the necessity, merits, and difficulties of embedding ethics and public value concepts into the curriculum.
Evidence of the Efficacy of Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg Lozenges for Patients Receiving Antibiotics for Laboratory-Confirmed Streptococcal Pharyngitis
Authors: Schachtel Bernard , Shephard Adrian , Schachtel Emily , Shea Tim , Smith Adam , Tselenti Evi
Published: July 2021

Objectives:

To determine the efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges for patients with laboratory-confirmed streptococcal pharyngitis both before and concomitant with antibiotics.

Methods:

This post hoc analysis comprised adult participants from 2 earlier randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluating the analgesic efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges in acute pharyngitis. Throat swabs were obtained to diagnose streptococcal infection. Prior to and 2 hours after each dose of study medication (flurbiprofen or placebo lozenges), patients rated 3 symptoms of acute pharyngitis (sore throat pain, difficulty swallowing, and swollen throat) using visual analogue scales. Appropriate antibiotic treatment was initiated when culture results were reported. Mean changes in each pharyngeal symptom were compared over the immediate 24 hours before and during the initial 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.

Results:

Twenty-four patients provided both preantibiotic and concomitant antibiotic efficacy outcomes. Relief of throat pain was 93% greater in the flurbiprofen group than in the placebo group before antibiotic coadministration and 84% greater than placebo during antibiotic administration (both P < .05). Relief of difficulty swallowing was 71% greater in the flurbiprofen group than in the placebo before antibiotic administration (P = .16) and 107% greater during concomitant antibiotic administration (P = .04). Relief of the sensation of throat swelling was 295% greater with flurbiprofen than placebo before antibiotic administration (P = .008) and 70% greater during concomitant antibiotic administration (P = .06). For placebo-treated patients, relief from throat pain and difficulty swallowing were similar before and during antibiotic treatment (P > .05), indicating no benefit with antibiotic administration for these symptoms. No treatment-related discontinuations or serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

Irrespective of antibiotic use, flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges provide well-tolerated, effective relief of pharyngeal symptoms in patients with streptococcal infection. In the 24 hours after administration, antibiotics provide no relief of throat pain or difficulty swallowing beyond the topical demulcent effects of placebo lozenges.
The internal and external institutionalization of the BRICS countries: The case of the New Development Bank
Authors: Hooijmaaijers Bas
Published: July 2021

This article explores and explains the internal and external institutionalization of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries via a case study of the New Development Bank. It contributes to the existing literature on the BRICS and the New Development Bank by identifying internal and external factors of institutionalization and by presenting the most recent developments in the field. The internal and external channels of cooperation complement the traditional one based on hosting annual joint BRICS summits. In 2014, these five countries institutionalized their cooperation with an agreement to establish this Bank. The recently established various New Development Bank regional offices play an essential role in its internal and external institutionalization. The New Development Bank is still very much in development. Nonetheless, the internal and external institutionalization approaches provide useful conceptual lenses to understand BRICS cooperation via the New Development Bank better.
The Emotional Impact of Unfulfilled Career Aspirations for Stay-at-Home Mothers in Australia
Authors: Johnstone Melissa , Lucke Jayne
Published: July 2021

Australia has a relatively high proportion of stay-at-home mothers, despite most young women aspiring to combine motherhood with paid work. Using two waves of quantitative data from the 1973–1978 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, and interviews with a subsample of stay-at-home mothers, we aimed to understand the role of agency in women’s work–family outcomes and the impact upon their well-being. More than four out of five stay-at-home mothers (83%) had previously aspired to combine motherhood with paid work. There were no differences in mental health scores of stay-at-home mothers according to prior work aspirations. However, stay-at-home mothers had marginally lower life satisfaction, and were more dissatisfied with the progress of their career when they had previously aspired to paid work, compared with unpaid work. Although women described their current situation as a ‘choice’, their choices were deeply embedded within gendered, social and economic contexts.
Choral singing and personal well-being: A Choral Activity Perceived Benefits Scale (CAPBES)
Authors: Fernández-Herranz Nuria , Ferreras-Mencia Soledad , Arribas-Marín Juan M , Corraliza José A
Published: July 2021

Numerous studies have demonstrated the capacity of choral singing to improve human well-being and that, in certain sectors of society (including older adults, prison populations, underprivileged social groups, and mentally illness groups), choral singing bears several benefits. Thus, this descriptive study proposed a comprehensive structural model of the dimensions that comprise choral singing’s contribution to individual well-being and aimed to explain these benefits. The study was conducted in a non-random sample of 1,513 adult Spanish singers of both sexes and variable age. An instrument was developed to assess the psychosocial benefits of choral singing, as perceived by singers; it comprised five constituent dimensions: satisfaction, ability, group engagement, belonging, and optimism. The instrument enabled us to assess how choral singing contributed to well-being, with adequate reliability (Cronbach’s α = .917) and validity. The system of relationships proposed by the model represents a plausible explanation regarding the benefits of choral practice and singing for well-being.
Equity-Advancing Practices at Public Transit Agencies in the United States
Authors: Karner Alex , Levine Kaylyn
Published: July 2021

Consistent with federal anti-discrimination and environmental justice law and guidance, public transportation agencies must evaluate the extent to which their decisions benefit and burden different people and groups and they must also conduct public engagement during decision-making. Assessing benefits and burdens and facilitating engagement are critically important for achieving transportation equity. In practice, quantitative analyses of plan impacts can be used to highlight and mitigate disparate benefits and burdens, but analyses are often conducted after major decisions have already been made and agencies have substantial flexibility in data collection and analysis. Public engagement can also affect equity-related outcomes, but agencies still rely heavily on public meetings and one-way information dissemination approaches that alienate potential participants. Considering the shortcomings associated with quantitative analysis and traditional public engagement as well as the open-ended nature of existing regulatory guidance, there is a need to understand the broad range of approaches that public transit agencies use to pursue equity-related goals. In this review of practice, we summarize six measures that agencies are using to advance transportation equity. Each measure is described using information gleaned from semi-structured interviews and primary source materials. We also identify challenges and shortcomings inherent in each approach using perspectives from the academic literature. The results will be useful for practitioners seeking equitable public transit systems and desiring to go beyond the standard approaches suggested by federal law and guidance.
Joint Model of Sustainable Mode Choice for Commute, Shift Potential and Alternative Mode Chosen
Authors: Ambi Ramakrishnan Ganesh , Srinivasan Karthik K. , Mondal Aupal , Bhat Chandra R.
Published: July 2021

Rising traffic congestion and severe air pollution in urban areas have led policymakers to find appropriate strategies to encourage the use of sustainable modes. In this context, this paper investigates three choice dimensions related to the work commute travel: (i) Whether and to what extent are sustainable modes considered? (ii) What factors influence the propensity to shift from the primary work commute mode? (iii) Which mode is most likely to be chosen conditional on the decision to shift? These dimensions are analyzed using data of workers from Chennai, India. As the three choices of an individual may be correlated and mutually endogenous because of common and persistent psychological attributes and modal service characteristics, they are modeled using a multi-dimensional probit model. The results show significant evidence of endogeneity, state-dependence, and unobserved correlation across these dimensions leading to significant improvement in fit measures. The results show that perceptions of walkability and environmental impacts of travel modes affect only the consideration of sustainable modes, while vehicle ownership and accessibility to transit affect all three dimensions. Four different behavioral motivations for the decision to shift from the usual mode: dissatisfaction with service attributes, activity constraints, multimodal travel pattern, and inertia, were identified. The mode to which shift occurs is influenced by household vehicle fleet (number and type), exclusive availability to the given decision-maker, and work distance. The insights from this study can be used to identify suitable factors and frame policies to promote sustainable mode choice at various levels.
Influence of Lining Design Parameters on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Chinese Highway Tunnel Construction
Authors: Xu Jianfeng , Dong Chen , Guo Dongming , Guo Chun
Published: July 2021

To realize low-carbon design for tunnel construction, the authors explored the relationship between tunnel design and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study proposed typical design models of Chinese highway tunnels based on the lining design specifications and engineering design cases. The research modified the GHG emission calculation method based on the standard quota system. The marginal GHG emissions caused by a change of design parameters of tunnel lining were determined. The results show that the emissions from shotcrete, concrete arch wall, system bolts, and steel frames are sensitive to the change of design parameters, while steel mesh is not. As the design thickness increases, the emissions of the concrete arch wall, inverted arch, and shotcrete increase approximately linearly. The emission distributions of system bolts and steel frames under different spacing are given. Under the same longitudinal spacing condition, the emission ratio of I18 and I16 steel frames is 1.197, and that of I16 and I14 steel frames is 1.316. By defining the marginal emissions caused by the change of design parameters, this study carried out basic work for highway tunnel low-carbon designs. The research is of strategic significance for achieving energy conservation and emission reduction in the tunnel industry.
Investigating Underage Alcohol-Intoxicated Driver Crash Patterns in Louisiana
Authors: Hossain Md Mahmud , Rahman M. Ashifur , Sun Xiaoduan , Mitran Elisabeta
Published: July 2021

Despite the zero tolerance and minimum legal drinking age laws since 1999, crashes caused by underage drinking drivers have occurred every year in the United States, which is a huge cause for concern for roadway safety. This study utilized multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) on 9 years (2010 to 2018) of at-fault, underage (aged 15 to 20 years), alcohol-intoxicated driver crashes in Louisiana to investigate hidden crash attribute patterns. This exploratory multivariate analysis technique identifies systematic associations among categories of qualitative variables rather than recognizing the effect of a single factor on the response variable. The results exhibited the capability of MCA in discovering the meaningful clouds of crash contributory factors from a complex multidimensional dataset. Fatal crashes happened to underage alcohol-intoxicated drivers who were not using seatbelts on high-speed curve segments under dark without streetlights, whereas single-vehicle crashes resulted in moderate injuries among drinking novice teenagers operating light trucks. The findings also revealed the driving behavior patterns of rookie drivers after alcohol intake that resulted in collisions. For example, male teenagers were engaged in impaired driving during weekends under adverse weather conditions, and underage drinking drivers tended to use cellphones during late-night driving. Targeting critical attributes identified from associations could be helpful in reducing the number of related crashes and fatalities. Furthermore, knowledge gained about the attribute groups identified in this study could be included in educational training programs targeting risky driving maneuvers. Integration of multiple interventions could be more strategic in minimizing underage drinking collisions.
Hierarchical Scheme for Vehicle Make and Model Recognition
Authors: Wang Chaoqing , Cheng Junlong , Wang Yuefei , Qian Yurong
Published: July 2021

A vehicle make and model recognition (VMMR) system is a common requirement in the field of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). However, it is a challenging task because of the subtle differences between vehicle categories. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical scheme for VMMR. Specifically, the scheme consists of (1) a feature extraction framework called weighted mask hierarchical bilinear pooling (WMHBP) based on hierarchical bilinear pooling (HBP) which weakens the influence of invalid background regions by generating a weighted mask while extracting features from discriminative regions to form a more robust feature descriptor; (2) a hierarchical loss function that can learn the appearance differences between vehicle brands, and enhance vehicle recognition accuracy; (3) collection of vehicle images from the Internet and classification of images with hierarchical labels to augment data for solving the problem of insufficient data and low picture resolution and improving the model’s generalization ability and robustness. We evaluate the proposed framework for accuracy and real-time performance and the experiment results indicate a recognition accuracy of 95.1% and an FPS (frames per second) of 107 for the framework for the Stanford Cars public dataset, which demonstrates the superiority of the method and its availability for ITS.
Development and Evaluation of Geostatistical Methods for Estimating Weather Related Collisions: A Large-Scale Case Study
Authors: Wong Andy H. , Kwon Tae J.
Published: July 2021

Winter driving conditions pose a real hazard to road users with increased chance of collisions during inclement weather events. As such, road authorities strive to service the hazardous roads or collision hot spots by increasing road safety, mobility, and accessibility. One measure of a hot spot would be winter collision statistics. Using the ratio of winter collisions (WC) to all collisions, roads that show a high ratio of WC should be given a high priority for further diagnosis and countermeasure selection. This study presents a unique methodological framework that is built on one of the least explored yet most powerful geostatistical techniques, namely, regression kriging (RK). Unlike other variants of kriging, RK uses auxiliary variables to gain a deeper understanding of contributing factors while also utilizing the spatial autocorrelation structure for predicting WC ratios. The applicability and validity of RK for a large-scale hot spot analysis is evaluated using the northeast quarter of the State of Iowa, spanning five winter seasons from 2013/14 to 2017/18. The findings of the case study assessed via three different statistical measures (mean squared error, root mean square error, and root mean squared standardized error) suggest that RK is very effective for modeling WC ratios, thereby further supporting its robustness and feasibility for a statewide implementation.
Safe Speed Prediction Model for Heavy Trucks on Consecutive Mountain Downgrade Routes Based on Energy Conservation Law
Authors: Yan Menghua , Xu Jinliang , Han Shuo , Ma Fangchen
Published: July 2021

Safe vehicle speed estimation is essential for road traffic management and traffic safety. Improper truck speed on downgrades may lead to brake fade and/or failure, resulting in severe truck accidents such as runaway or out-of-control. This paper presents a model for predicting the safe speed of trucks from the perspective of preventing brake failure. The proposed model can be used to control the speed limit or as a reference for the revision of highway geometric design standards. In addition, by considering the downgrade design speeds recommended by AASHTO, the study offers an approach to deciding the downgrades that need escape ramps, those that need different speed limits, and those that may need exclusions for trucks over a certain weight. First, we simplify the downgrade driving status of a heavy truck into three types: speed control, emergency braking, and speed recovery according to the speed change status. The prediction model of the brake drum temperature with speed variables has been established in our previous study based on Newton’s energy conservation law. Finally, the boundary conditions for brake fade and failure temperature are determined. Results of parameter analysis show that the gross truck weight is the most significant variable. Other significant variables are grade, grade length, and emergency braking time. Compared with previous research results, the advantage of this method is that the permitted speed can be derived using the brake temperature prediction model supported by theory, without the need for extensive field tests.
Chronic Sequelae After Muscle Strain Injuries: Influence of Heavy Resistance Training on Functional and Structural Characteristics in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bayer Monika L. , Hoegberget-Kalisz Maren , Svensson Rene B. , Hjortshoej Mikkel H. , Olesen Jens L. , Nybing Janus D. , Boesen Mikael , Magnusson S. Peter , Kjaer Michael
Published: July 2021

Background:

Muscle strain injury leads to a high risk of recurrent injury in sports and can cause long-term symptoms such as weakness and pain. Scar tissue formation after strain injuries has been described, yet what ultrastructural changes might occur in the chronic phase of this injury have not. It is also unknown if persistent symptoms and morphological abnormalities of the tissue can be mitigated by strength training.

Purpose:

To investigate if heavy resistance training improves symptoms and structural abnormalities after strain injuries.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

A total of 30 participants with long-term weakness and/or pain after a strain injury of the thigh or calf muscles were randomized to eccentric heavy resistance training of the injured region or control exercises of the back and abdominal muscle. Isokinetic (hamstring) or isometric (calf) muscle strength was determined, muscle cross-sectional area measured, and pain and function evaluated. Scar tissue ultrastructure was determined from biopsy specimens taken from the injured area before and after the training intervention.

Results:

Heavy resistance training over 3 months improved pain and function, normalized muscle strength deficits, and increased muscle cross-sectional area in the previously injured region. No systematic effect of training was found upon pathologic infiltration of fat and blood vessels into the previously injured area. Control exercises had no effect on strength, cross-sectional area, or scar tissue but a positive effect on patient-related outcome measures, such as pain and functional scores.

Conclusion:

Short-term strength training can improve sequelae symptoms and optimize muscle function even many years after a strain injury, but it does not seem to influence the overall structural abnormalities of the area with scar tissue.

Registration:

NCT02152098 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).