bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multimedia Image Encryption Analysis Based on High-Dimensional Chaos Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Xing
Published: December 2021

With the development of network and multimedia technology, multimedia communication has attracted the attention of researchers. Image encryption has become an urgent need for secure multimedia communication. Compared with the traditional encryption system, encryption algorithms based on chaos are easier to implement, which makes them more suitable for large-scale data encryption. The calculation method of image encryption proposed in this paper is a combination of high-dimensional chaotic systems. This algorithm is mainly used for graph mapping and used the Lorenz system to expand and replace them one by one. Studies have shown that this calculation method causes mixed pixel values, good diffusion performance, and strong key performance with strong resistance. The pixel of the encrypted picture is distributed relatively random, and the characteristics of similar loudness are not relevant. It is proved through experiments that the above calculation methods have strong safety performance.
Bone Cancer Detection Using Feature Extraction Based Machine Learning Model
Authors: Sharma Ashish , Yadav Dhirendra P. , Garg Hitendra , Kumar Mukesh , Sharma Bhisham , Koundal Deepika
Published: December 2021

Bone cancer is considered a serious health problem, and, in many cases, it causes patient death. The X-ray, MRI, or CT-scan image is used by doctors to identify bone cancer. The manual process is time-consuming and required expertise in that field. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an automated system to classify and identify the cancerous bone and the healthy bone. The texture of a cancer bone is different compared to a healthy bone in the affected region. But in the dataset, several images of cancer and healthy bone are having similar morphological characteristics. This makes it difficult to categorize them. To tackle this problem, we first find the best suitable edge detection algorithm after that two feature sets one with hog and another without hog are prepared. To test the efficiency of these feature sets, two machine learning models, support vector machine (SVM) and the Random forest, are utilized. The features set with hog perform considerably better on these models. Also, the SVM model trained with hog feature set provides an

F
1

-score of 0.92 better than Random forest

F
1

-score 0.77.
Exploring the Mechanism of Baicalin Intervention in Breast Cancer Based on MicroRNA Microarrays and Bioinformatics Strategies
Authors: Ge Anqi , Liu Lifang , Deng Xian’guang , Luo Jun , Xu Yanghua
Published: December 2021

Objective. To explore the mechanism of baicalin intervention in breast cancer based on microRNA microarrays. Methods. The inhibitory rate of baicalin intervention in MCF-7 breast cancer cells was determined by MTT. Then, the miRNA microarrays were used to validate the key microRNAs. After that, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to validate microRNA, hsa-miR-15a, hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-16, and hsa-miR-7t. Finally, the potential targets of these key microRNAs are predicted by miRWalk, and DAVID was utilized for gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathway enrichment analysis. Results. Baicalin may inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The concentration of baicalin 150 μmol/L was determined for the subsequent miRNA chip research. A total of 92 upregulated microRNAs and 35 downregulated microRNAs were obtained. The upregulated miRNAs include hsa-miR-6799-5p, hsa-miR-6126, hsa-miR-4792, hsa-miR-6848-5p, hsa-miR-3197, hsa-miR-6779-5p, and hsa-miR -654-5p. The downregulated miRNAs include hsa-miR-3911, hsa-miR-504-5p, hsa-miR-30a-3p, hsa-miR-193b-3p, and hsa-miR-181b-5p. Then, differentially expressed miRNA was verified by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the expression of hsa-miR-15a, hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-16, and hsa-let-7c was upregulated (

P
<
0.05

), which was consistent with the results of the miRNA microarray. The enrichment analysis showed that baicalin might regulate the DNA-templated proliferation, DNA-templated transcription, p53 signaling pathway, etc., of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through miRNA. Conclusion. Baicalin inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells. It may achieve antitumor effects through regulating microRNAs so as to affect the DNA replication (such as cellular response to DNA damage stimulus and DNA binding), RNA transcription (such as regulation of transcription, DNA-templated, transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, and transcription factor binding), protein synthesis (such as mRNA binding, Golgi apparatus, and protein complex), endocytosis, pathways in cancer, p53 signaling pathway, and so on.
Analysis of Etiology and Risk Factors of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection in Critically Ill Patients and Research on Corresponding Prevention and Nursing Measures
Authors: Juanjuan Du , TianTian Zhao , Yue Dong , Lili Wang , Ping Xu , Xu Hongyun
Published: December 2021

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common complication in patients with indwelling catheterization. The incidence of CAUTI in my country is still at a relatively high level compared with foreign countries, especially for the ICU, which has a high usage rate of urinary catheters, to focus on prevention and control. This article focuses on studying the risk factors of CAUTI in critically ill patients and discusses targeted preventive care measures. This article investigates and examines the clinical data of CAUTI in critically ill patients. After statistical analysis, the risk factors that affect CAUTI are summarized, so as to derive the cause of CAUTI in order to strengthen clinical care and to further study the prevention, control, and nursing of CAUTI to provide reference. Clinical data shows that the CAUTI infection rate of patients with catheter indwelling ≥7 days is greater than that of patients with catheter indwelling days less than 7 days. The CAUTI infection rate of the patients who change the urine collection bag every day or ≥7 days is greater than that of the patients who change the urine collection bag within 2 to 4 days.
Economic Benefit Evaluation and Analysis Based on Intelligent Agriculture Internet of Things
Authors: Liu Shu , Wu Yuting
Published: December 2021

There has been a consensus on the development of ecological agriculture to promote the leap from traditional agriculture to ecological agriculture, but the unavoidable fact is that the development of ecological agriculture is still relatively slow at the present stage and has not formed a major climate and great influence. The rise of the Internet is a technology that has promoted the transformation and upgrading of modern agriculture, changed the traditional agricultural production mode, and accelerated the scientific and technological integration of information. In view of the characteristics and difficulties of agriculture, this paper builds an Agricultural Internet of Things (IoT) management system to realize the integrated management of Internet equipment and realize the management of environmental data, video data, and agricultural expert knowledge. Then from perception technology, transmission technology, and the perspective of three intelligent information processing technologies, this paper introduces the present state of agricultural IoT, analyzes the Internet of Things to the economic benefits of agricultural production, to research the problems of China’s agricultural development of the Internet of Things, and puts forward China’s agricultural Internet of the future research emphasis and direction of development.
Circ-Ctnnb1 Regulates Neuronal Injury in Spinal Cord Injury through the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway
Authors: Qi Jialong , Wang Tao , Zhang Zhidong , Yin Zongsheng , Liu Yiming , Ma Li , Pei Shaobao , Dong Zhou , Han Guosong
Published: December 2021

Study Design: Spinal cord injury (SCI) rat model and cell model were established for in vivo and in vitro experiments. Functional assays were utilized to explore the role of the circRNAs derived from catenin beta 1 (mmu_circ_0001859, circ-Ctnnb1 herein) in regulating neuronal cell viability and apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis and mechanism experiments were conducted to assess the underlying molecular mechanism of circ-Ctnnb1. Objective: We aimed to probe into the biological function of circ-Ctnnb1 in neuronal cells of SCI. Methods: The rat model of SCI and hypoxia-induced cell model were constructed to examine circ-Ctnnb1 expression in SCI through quantitative reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score was utilized for evaluating the neurological function. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling assays were performed to assess the apoptosis of neuronal cells. RNase R and actinomycin D were used to treat cells to evaluate the stability of circ-Ctnnb1. Results: Circ-Ctnnb1 was highly expressed in SCI rat models and hypoxia-induced neuronal cells, and its deletion elevated the apoptosis rate of hypoxia-induced neuronal cells. Furthermore, circ-Ctnnb1 activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via sponging mircoRNA-205-5p (miR-205-5p) to upregulate Ctnnb1 and Wnt family member 2B (Wnt2b). Conclusion: Circ-Ctnnb1 promotes SCI through regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling via modulating the miR-205-5p/Ctnnb1/Wnt2b axis.
Sex‐Related Differences in Mortality Following Admission for Acute Heart Failure Across the Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Spectrum
Authors: Santas Enrique , Palau Patricia , Llácer Pau , de la Espriella Rafael , Miñana Gema , Núñez‐Marín Gonzalo , Lorenzo Miguel , Heredia Raquel , Sanchis Juan , Chorro Francisco Javier , Bayés‐Genís Antoni , Núñez Julio
Published: December 2021

Background

Following a heart failure (HF)‐decompensation, there is scarce data about sex‐related prognostic differences across left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) status. We sought to evaluate sex‐related differences in 6‐month mortality risk across LVEF following admission for acute HF.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively evaluated 4812 patients consecutively admitted for acute HF in a multicenter registry from 3 hospitals. Study end points were all‐cause, cardiovascular, and HF‐related mortality at 6‐month follow‐up. Multivariable Cox regression models were fitted to investigate sex‐related differences across LVEF. A total of 2243 (46.6%) patients were women, 2569 (53.4%) were men, and 2608 (54.2%) showed LVEF≥50%. At 6‐month follow‐up, 645 patients died (13.4%), being 544 (11.3%) and 416 (8.6%) cardiovascular and HF‐related deaths, respectively. LVEF was not independently associated with mortality (HR, 1.02; 95% CI 0.99–1.05;
P
=0.135). After multivariable adjustment, we found no sex‐related differences in all‐cause mortality (
P
value for interaction=0.168). However, a significant interaction between sex and cardiovascular and HF mortality risks was found across LVEF (
P
value for interaction=0.030 and 0.007, respectively). Compared with men, women had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular and HF‐mortality at LVEF<25% and <43%, respectively. On the contrary, women showed a higher risk of HF‐mortality at the upper extreme of LVEF (>80%).

Conclusions

Following an admission for acute HF, no sex‐related differences were found in all‐cause mortality risk. However, when compared with men, women showed a lower risk of cardiovascular and HF‐mortality at the lower extreme of LVEF. On the contrary, they showed a higher risk of HF death at the upper extreme.
Action Theory in the Respective Hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Chung-ying Cheng
Authors: Brasovan Nicholas S.
Published: December 2021

This article advances a dialogue between the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer and the ontological hermeneutics of Chung-ying Cheng. This discussion draws into relief a question of whether or not these respective theories provide us with decision-making procedures for determining appropriate or right action in any given situation. In other words, we are inquiring into whether or not these respective hermeneutical theories incorporate forms of ethics. Following this line of questioning, we turn to Cheng’s philosophy of the Yijing and Gadamer’s analysis of Aristotle’s ethics.
Emerging Phonology Under Language Contact: The Case of Sino-Russian Idiolects
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Gurian Natalia , Karpenko Sergei
Published: December 2021

The main aim of this study is to examine what kind of phonological system emerges because of language contact wherein adult speakers of L1 (Chinese) attempt to speak L2 (Russian) without any previous instruction in L2. The main findings of this study are as follows: a) The speakers of L1 largely adopt the phonetic inventory and phonotactics of L2 and b) the only underlying (distinctive) features in the emerging phonological system are those of place of articulation while voicing plays no distinctive role in the emerging phonological system of Chinese speakers. Moreover, the speakers of L1 faithfully replicate the stress system of L2, even though L1 (Chinese) is a tonal language and L2, Russian, is a stress language. The most important finding of this study is that speakers of L1 discern the entity ‘word’ in L2. The emerging phonological system is geared towards assuring the identifiability of words in L2 rather than towards consistency of phonological rules.
New records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from Iran with the description of one new species based on morphology and DNA barcodes
Authors: PEŠIĆ VLADIMIR , ZAWAL ANDRZEJ , SABOORI ALIREZA , SMIT HARRY
Published: December 2021

In this study, based on morphology and DNA barcodes, new records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) collected in August 2017 in North Iran are presented. Hydrodroma golestanica n. sp. (Hydrodromidae) is described as new for science. We also resurrect three previously synonymized species: Sperchon amuzgari Bader & Sepasgosarian, 1979 (Sperchontidae), Monatractides persicus Pešić & Saboori, 2004 and Torrenticola baueri Bader & Sepasgozarian, 1987 (Torrenticolidae).
New records of Cochylini moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from the Balkans
Authors: BUDASHKIN YURIY , RICHTER IGNÁC
Published: December 2021

In the course of expeditions conducted on the Balkan Peninsula by Ignác Richter in 2004–2019, altogether 45 species of Cochylini moths were collected. The examination of the collected specimens revealed one new species of the genus Aethes: Aethes larissae sp. nov., from the North Macedonia. Additionally, a new subspecies, Aethes kindermanniana macedonica ssp. nov. is described from the North Macedonia too. Phtheochroa amasiana (Ragonot, 1894) and Cochylimorpha erlebachi Huemer & Trematerra, 1997 are recorded from the Balkans for the first time. A male of Aethes eichleri Razowski, 1983 is collected for the first time, and DNA barcoding data of this species was obtained. We established a new synonymy: Aethes eichleri Razowski, 1983 syn. nov. of Aethes francillana (Fabricius, 1794). Illustrations of specimens and photographs of the genitalia of all described taxa are provided.
An Idealized 1½-Layer Isentropic Model with Convection and Precipitation for Satellite Data Assimilation Research. Part I: Model Dynamics
Authors: Cantarello Luca , Bokhove Onno , Tobias Steven
Published: December 2021

An isentropic 1½-layer model based on modified shallow-water equations is presented, including terms mimicking convection and precipitation. This model is an updated version of the isopycnal single-layer modified rotating shallow water (modRSW) model. The clearer link between fluid temperature and model variables together with a double-layer structure make this revised, isentropic model a more suitable tool to achieve our future goal: to conduct idealized experiments for investigating satellite data assimilation. The numerical model implementation is verified against an analytical solution for stationary waves in a rotating fluid, based on Shrira’s methodology for the isopycnal case. Recovery of the equivalent isopycnal model is also verified, both analytically and numerically. With convection and precipitation added, we show how complex model dynamics can be achieved exploiting rotation and relaxation to a meridional jet in a periodic domain. This solution represents a useful reference simulation or “truth” in conducting future (satellite) data assimilation experiments, with additional atmospheric conditions and data. A formal analytical derivation of the isentropic 1½-layer model from an isentropic two-layer model without convection and precipitation is shown in a companion paper (Part II).
An Idealized 1½-Layer Isentropic Model with Convection and Precipitation for Satellite Data Assimilation Research. Part II: Model Derivation
Authors: Bokhove Onno , Cantarello Luca , Tobias Steven
Published: December 2021

In this Part II paper we present a fully consistent analytical derivation of the “dry” isentropic 1½-layer shallow-water model described and used in Part I of this study, with no convection and precipitation. The mathematical derivation presented here is based on a combined asymptotic and slaved Hamiltonian analysis, which is used to resolve an apparent inconsistency arising from the application of a rigid-lid approximation to an isentropic two-layer shallow-water model. Real observations based on radiosonde data are used to justify the scaling assumptions used throughout the paper, as well as in Part I. Eventually, a fully consistent isentropic 1½-layer model emerges from imposing fluid at rest (v1= 0) and zero Montgomery potential (M1= 0) in the upper layer of an isentropic two-layer model.
Radiative Cooling, Latent Heating, and Cloud Ice in the Tropical Upper Troposphere
Authors: Sokol Adam B. , Hartmann Dennis L.
Published: December 2021

The radiative cooling rate in the tropical upper troposphere is expected to increase as climate warms. Since the tropics are approximately in radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE), this implies an increase in the convective heating rate, which is the sum of the latent heating rate and the eddy heat flux convergence. We examine the impact of these changes on the vertical profile of cloud ice amount in cloud-resolving simulations of RCE. Three simulations are conducted: a control run, a warming run, and an experimental run in which there is no warming but a temperature forcing is imposed to mimic the warming-induced increase in radiative cooling. Surface warming causes a reduction in cloud fraction at all upper-tropospheric temperature levels but an increase in the ice mixing ratio within deep convective cores. The experimental run has more cloud ice than the warming run at fixed temperature despite the fact that their latent heating rates are equal, which suggests that the efficiency of latent heating by cloud ice increases with warming. An analytic expression relating the ice-related latent heating rate to a number of other factors is derived and used to understand the model results. This reveals that the increase in latent heating efficiency is driven mostly by 1) the migration of isotherms to lower pressure and 2) a slight warming of the top of the convective layer. These physically robust changes act to reduce the residence time of ice at any particular temperature level, which tempers the response of the mean cloud ice profile to warming.

Significance Statement

Here we examine how the amount of condensed ice in part of the atmosphere—the tropical upper troposphere (UT)—responds to global warming. In the UT, the energy released during ice formation is balanced by the emission of radiation to space. This emission will strengthen with warming, suggesting that there will also be more ice. Using a model of the tropical atmosphere, we find that the increase in ice amount is mitigated by a reduction in the amount of time ice spends in the UT. This could have important implications for the cloud response to global warming, and future work should focus on how these changes are manifested across the distribution of convective cloud types.
Willing, Silent or Forced Participation? Insights from English for Academic Purposes Classrooms
Authors: Wei Wei , Cao Yiqian (Katherine)
Published: December 2021

This study explores students’ participation in English for Academic Purposes classrooms from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Data were collected from videotaping of 11 English for academic purposes classes, semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers and stimulated-recall interviews with 33 students. The results indicate that three types of participation were identified, including willing, silent and forced participation. The results also show that a range of contextual and individual factors affect students’ participation in class activities and discussions. The contextual factors include class atmosphere, teacher support, peer participation, task, topic and interactional pattern. The individual factors include students’ confidence, personality and their perceived and actual communicative competence. Pedagogical implications and directions for future research are also discussed.
Patients’ Shift from Public to Private Primary Health Care Providers in Lithuania: Analysis of the Main Reasons
Authors: Žvinakis Paulius , Kalibataitė Roberta , Kalibatas Vytenis
Published: December 2021

Aims

Lithuania is one of the countries where public and private primary health care (PHC) providers compete for patients. Patients continuously shift from public to PHC providers, but an analysis of the main reasons was never performed. This study aimed to analyze the reasons why patients shift from public to private PHC providers and identify the associations between the reasons and demographic characteristics of the patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional study based on a phone questionnaire was conducted among patients who shifted from public to private primary health care (PHC) providers. A total of 810 phone calls were made, and 572 telephone surveys were completed. The response rate was 70.49%. The difference between the proportions was assessed using the Z-test. The association between categorical variables was assessed using the chi-square test.

Results

The study identified the following main reasons: long queues to obtain family physician appointments (23.6%), inconvenient location of public’s institution department (20.1%), patients relocating (19.2%), enrolment at a former family physician who transitioned from a public to private PHC institution (10.5%), and long waiting time at the family physician’s office for the appointment (9.4%). Some statistically significant correlations were found between the specific reasons for shifting from public to private PHC organizations and patients' demographic characteristics.

Conclusions

Personal reasons are the most common reasons for shifting from public to private PHC providers (43.36% of the respondents), following the reasons related exclusively to the family physician (25.17%) and related PHC institutions only (24.9%).
Evaluating the Influence of COVID-19 Among Dental Practitioners After Lockdown
Authors: Abrar Eisha , Abduljabbar Adel S. , Naseem Mustafa , Panhwar Maryam , Vohra Fahim , Abduljabbar Tariq
Published: December 2021

Clinical activities at dental premises after the COVID-19 lockdown period or post-COVID-19 are likely to be a challenge for all practicing dentists. To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentists and change in dental practice following lockdown, a total of 1150 participants were approached through online survey forms registered on www.surveys.google . A link containing details of the questionnaire and a consent form was sent to dentists through emails and social media forums. The questionnaire included 3 domains comprising of seventeen questions. The first section focused on demographics. The second section inquired about the change in dental practice, that is, clinical hours, use of PPE, type of treatment, and patient flow. The third section investigated the impact of COVID-19 on dentistry. Means, standard deviation, and percentages were calculated using descriptive statistics. Chi-square was used to find an association between different variables. The response rate was 87%. Demographic factors revealed participants aged from 20.45 to 40.55 years. The data showed around 89.6% (896) of dentists have altered their clinical working hours post lockdown and, approximately, 59.7% (597) of dentists provided only emergency treatments. 88.1% (881) of the dentists wore PPE during dental procedures. Overall, a huge negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was observed among practicing dentists in terms of the dental supply chain, cost, and availability of dental equipment, treatment cost, and bill payments.COVID-19 pandemic compromised dental care. Though dentists were taking precautionary measures and have changed their practice according to the guidelines provided by the ADA and World Health Organization, they were still experiencing monetary loss due to decrease patient influx post lockdown.
A case of reactivation of hepatitis B presenting with exudative ascites
Authors: Kaya Abdurrahman , Yıldız Kaya Sibel
Published: December 2021

Hepatitis B virus infection is a global problem and causes several liver diseases including acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Though uncommon, some immune mediated extra-hepatic manifestations may develop during the infection. Exudative ascites during HBV infection is one such.
Mechanisms of Grammaticalization in the Variation of Negative Question Tags
Authors: Childs Claire
Published: December 2021

This paper presents an investigation of the extent to which Heine’s (2003) mechanisms of grammaticalization—erosion (phonetic reduction), decategorialization (loss of morpho-syntactic properties), desemanticization (semantic bleaching) and extension (context expansion)—are evident in the variation of negative question tags in three varieties of British English spoken in Glasgow, Tyneside, and Salford. The study considers the variation in terms of three types of variant—full (e.g., isn’t it), reduced (e.g., int it), and coalesced (e.g., innit)—which each represent a stage in the erosion process. Quantitative variationist analysis of informal conversational data shows that erosion of negative tags occurs to different degrees in each of the three communities. The locality with the least tag erosion—Tyneside—displays particularly strong social stratification in the variation that suggests a change in progress led by younger men. However, there is little to no evidence of decategorialization in the negative tags, nor does variation in tag meaning correlate with phonetic form in a consistent manner. The results therefore suggest that erosion and desemanticization/extension do not occur in lockstep as these constructions grammaticalize, while decategorialization occurs at a later stage in the change.
The effect of repertoire, routinization and enacted complexity: Explaining task performance through patterns of action
Authors: Hansson Mathias , Hærem Thorvald , Pentland Brian T.
Published: December 2021

We use pattern mining tools from computer science to engage a classic problem in organizational theory: the relation between routinization and task performance. We develop and operationalize new measures of two key characteristics of organizational routines: repertoire and routinization. Repertoire refers to the number of recognizable patterns within a stream of actions used to perform the task, and routinization refers to the degree to which a stream of actions follows recognizable patterns. We use these measures to develop a novel theory that predicts task performance based on the size of repertoire, the degree of routinization, and enacted complexity. We test this theory in two settings that differ in their programmability: crisis management and invoice management. We find that repertoire and routinization are important determinants of task performance in both settings, but with opposite effects. In both settings, however, the effect of repertoire and routinization is mediated by enacted complexity. This theoretical contribution is enabled by the methodological innovation of pattern mining, which allows us to treat routines as a collection of sequential patterns or paths. This innovation also allows us to clarify the relation of routinization and complexity, which are often confused because the terms routine and routinization connote simplicity. We demonstrate that routinization and enacted complexity are distinct constructs, conceptually and empirically. It is possible to have a high degree of routinization and complex enactments that vary each time a task is performed. This is because enacted complexity depends on the repertoire of patterns and how those patterns are combined to enact a task.
Present-Future Self-Continuity and Intergenerational Communication as Predictors of Young Adults’ Evaluations of Older Adults and Attitudes Toward Aging
Authors: Gasiorek Jessica
Published: December 2021

This study examined how young adults’ perceived similarity to their future self at age 70 ( present-future self-continuity) and experiences of environmental “chatter” about aging predicted their views of older adults, and their anxiety and efficacy related to aging. Experiencing nonaccommodation from older adults predicted greater anxiety, lower efficacy, and more negative views of older adults; greater present-future self-continuity predicted higher efficacy about aging. Young adults’ present-future self-continuity also moderated the effects of accommodation from older adults on these outcomes.
Conclusion to the special issue: Relationships in the time of COVID-19: Examining the effects of the global pandemic on personal relationships
Authors: Lannutti Pamela J , Bevan Jennifer L
Published: December 2021

This article serves as the conclusion of the special issue entitled “Relationships in the time of COVID-19: Examining the effects of the global pandemic on personal relationships.” The special issue includes 29 research articles with authors and samples from 28 countries spanning all continents except Antarctica. Romantic relationships between two heterosexual partners were studied most often in the special issue articles, but studies also focused on family relationships, friendships, and relationships between strangers. This article provides a summary of the special issue and its three broad themes: (1) stress, turbulence, conflict, and coping; (2) loneliness, isolation, and mediated communication; and (3) reflecting and reframing in relationships. The article concludes with the special issue editors’ reflections on relationship science and the pandemic.
Care practices of specialized outpatient pediatric palliative care teams in collaboration with parents: Results of participatory observations
Authors: Schuetze Dania , Ploeger Cornelia , Hach Michaela , Seipp Hannah , Kuss Katrin , Bösner Stefan , Gerlach Ferdinand M , van den Akker Marjan , Erler Antje , Engler Jennifer
Published: December 2021

Background:

Collaboration between parents and professional care providers is an essential part of pediatric palliative care. As children are embedded in family systems and many of the patients are not able to communicate verbally, their parents are the primary interaction partners for palliative care providers. International standards for pediatric palliative care in Europe state that parents should be supported, acknowledged as the primary carers and involved as partners in all care and decisions.

Aim:

To find out through which care practices pediatric palliative care teams shape collaboration with parents in everyday care.

Design:

Ethnographic method of participatory observations. Field notes were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Setting/participants:

Researchers accompanied three pediatric palliative care teams on home visits to eight different families caring for a child with life-limiting conditions.

Results:

Care practices of palliative care teams were characterized by familiarity, a resource-oriented attitude, empowerment of parents, shared decision-making and support for parents. Palliative care teams not only provided palliative medical treatment for the children, but also developed a trusting care partnership with parents. The teams employed a sensitive and multifaceted communication style in their collaboration with parents.

Conclusions:

Care practices in pediatric palliative care require time, communication skills, and a high level of psychosocial competence, to develop a trusting, collaborative relationship with parents. This should be taken into consideration when establishing pediatric palliative care structures, preparing guidelines, training staff, and deciding upon appropriate remuneration.
Systematic validation of structural brain networks in cerebral small vessel disease
Authors: Dewenter Anna , Gesierich Benno , ter Telgte Annemieke , Wiegertjes Kim , Cai Mengfei , Jacob Mina A , Marques José P , Norris David G , Franzmeier Nicolai , de Leeuw Frank-Erik , Tuladhar Anil M , Duering Marco
Published: December 2021

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is considered a disconnection syndrome, which can be quantified using structural brain network analysis obtained from diffusion MRI. Network analysis is a demanding analysis approach and the added benefit over simpler diffusion MRI analysis is largely unexplored in SVD. In this pre-registered study, we assessed the clinical and technical validity of network analysis in two non-overlapping samples of SVD patients from the RUN DMC study (n = 52 for exploration and longitudinal analysis and n = 105 for validation). We compared two connectome pipelines utilizing single-shell or multi-shell diffusion MRI, while also systematically comparing different node and edge definitions. For clinical validation, we assessed the added benefit of network analysis in explaining processing speed and in detecting short-term disease progression. For technical validation, we determined test-retest repeatability.

Our findings in clinical validation show that structural brain networks provide only a small added benefit over simpler global white matter diffusion metrics and do not capture short-term disease progression. Test-retest reliability was excellent for most brain networks. Our findings question the added value of brain network analysis in clinical applications in SVD and highlight the utility of simpler diffusion MRI based markers.
Relationship between magnetic resonance imaging findings and prognosis of intracranial tuberculosis
Authors: Wu Xuan , Yang Xiuhong , Wang Bo , Yin Nan , Mao Xiaohui , Zhou Jie
Published: December 2021

Background

Intracranial tuberculosis (TB) is an intracranial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in particular enhanced MRI scan, has the ability to detect characteristic lesions of tuberculous meningitis or cerebral parenchymal TB.

Purpose

To analyze the relationship between MRI findings and prognosis of patients with intracranial TB.

Material and Methods

In this retrospective study, a total of 60 patients were confirmed with intracranial TB in the hospital from May 2019 to December 2020. All enrolled patients underwent TB-related laboratory examinations, cranial MRI, and contrast-enhanced MRI. Laboratory tests were analyzed and the relationship between clinical prognosis and cranial MRI features was evaluated.

Results

Of the 60 patients, 28 (46.67%) had disseminated TB complications, 20 (36.67%) had secondary TB complications, and the remaining 10 (16.66%) had lymphatic TB or spinal TB complications. Of the patients, 25 had good short-term prognosis and 35 had poor short-term prognosis; 44 patients had good long-term prognosis and 16 had poor long-term prognosis. The incidence of cerebral parenchymal tuberculomas on enhanced MRI was significantly higher in the group with good prognosis compared to that in the group with poor prognosis ( P < 0.05). Logistic analysis suggested that hydrocephalus (odds ratio [OR] = 0.057, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.003–0.444; P = 0.018) and cistern involvement (OR = 0.100, 95% CI = 0.011–0.581; P = 0.017) were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis.

Conclusion

MRI can display the pathological changes of intracranial TB in detail; hydrocephalus and cistern involvement were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis.
Myocardial extracellular volume fraction quantification based on T1 mapping at 3 T: quality optimization by contour-based registration and segmental analysis
Authors: Lin Ling , Zhou Xu-Hui , Zheng Mei , Xie Qiu-Xia , Tao Qian , Lamb Hildo J.
Published: December 2021

Background

Myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) assessment can be affected by various technical and subject-related factors.

Purpose

To evaluate the role of contour-based registration in quantification of ECV and investigate normal segment-based myocardial ECV values at 3T.

Material and Methods

Pre- and post-contrast T1 mapping images of the left ventricular basal, mid-cavity, and apical slices were obtained in 26 healthy volunteers. ECV maps were generated using motion correction with and without contour-based registration. The image quality of all ECV maps was evaluated by a 4-point scale. Slices were dichotomized according to the occurrence of misregistration in the source data. Contour-registered ECVs and standard ECVs were compared within each subgroup using analysis of variance for repeated measurements and generalized linear mixed models.

Results

In all three slices, higher quality of ECV maps were found using contour-registered method than using standard method. Standard ECVs were statistically different from contour-registered ECVs in global (26.8% ± 2.8% vs. 25.8% ± 2.4%; P = 0.001), mid-cavity (25.4% ± 3.1% vs. 24.3% ± 2.5%; P = 0.016), and apical slices (28.7% ± 4.1% vs. 27.2% ± 3.4%; P = 0.010). In the misregistration subgroups, contour-registered ECVs were lower with smaller SDs (basal: 25.2% ± 1.8% vs. 26.7% ± 2.6%; P = 0.038; mid-cavity: 24.4% ± 2.3% vs. 26.8% ± 3.1%; P = 0.012; apical: 27.5% ± 3.6% vs. 29.7% ± 4.5%; P = 0.016). Apical (27.2% ± 3.4%) and basal-septal ECVs (25.6% ± 2.6%) were statistically higher than mid-cavity ECV (24.3% ± 2.5%; both P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Contour-based registration can optimize image quality and improve the precision of ECV quantification in cases demonstrating ventricular misregistration among source images.
Long-term subjective results and radiologic prognosis of a distal radius fracture in working-aged patients – a prognostic cohort study of 201 patients
Authors: Hevonkorpi Teemu P , Raittio Lauri , Vähä-Tuisku Susanna , Launonen Antti P , Mattila Ville M.
Published: December 2021

Objective

To investigate long-term outcomes associated with distal radius fracture (DRF) in working-aged patients. The authors hypothesized that the majority of patients experience no permanent loss of function when measured with patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE).

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with a DRF aged between 18 and 65 years. The primary outcome measure was PRWE score at a minimum of 4 years after DRF. Secondary outcome measures were pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) and radiographic measurements.

Results

Of 201 patients included, 179 were primarily treated non-operatively with a 5-week cast treatment and 22 were primarily operated. The mean follow-up duration was 5 years. The mean PRWE score was 10.9 (95% confidence interval 8.4, 13.4) and median PRWE was 3.5 (interquartile range, 0.0–13.0). There was minor correlation between PCS and PRWE score (correlation coefficient [CC] 0.3), and between PRWE score and dorsal angulation of the fracture measured after closed reduction (CC 0.2) and in one-week follow-up radiographs (CC 0.2).

Conclusions

Working-aged patients seem to gain nearly normal wrist function after DRF in longer follow-up. Pain catastrophizing appears to correlate with long-term treatment outcome.
Connection and Caring Through a Therapeutic Juvenile Corrections Model: Staff and Youth Resident Perceptions of Structural and Interpersonal Dimensions
Authors: Brubaker Sarah Jane , Cleary Hayley M. D.
Published: December 2021

This mixed-method exploratory inductive study examined incarcerated youths’ and staff members’ perceptions of a new community-focused therapeutic model in a large youth prison. Via 18 focus groups ( N = 141) and facility-wide surveys ( N = 248), both youth and staff shared perceptions of specific structural components of the model designed to change their relationship to one another, such as consistent staffing, higher staff-resident ratios, and program features designed to enhance rapport. Both groups also provided rich descriptions of the altered interpersonal dynamics related to connection and caring, two of the five C’s of Positive Youth Development (PYD), that were facilitated through those structural changes. Findings suggest the model’s intentional redefinition of resident-staff relationships directly contributed to meaningful resident and staff experiences. Perceptions of those relationships—rarely explored in the extant literature—were examined and illustrated through focus group data. This study illuminates the subjective experiences of both groups as they put the model into practice and reveals key insights about therapeutic correctional programs based on PYD in secure facilities that have important implications for juvenile correctional theory, research, practice, and policy.
Examining Social Work Students Knowledge of and Attitudes About Abortion and Curriculum Coverage in Social Work Education
Authors: Witt Heather , Younes Maha K. , Goldblatt Hyatt Erica , Franklin Carly
Published: December 2021

Despite social work's stated commitment to abortion rights, research on this topic is not prolific within the discipline (Begun et al., 2016). If we are to live up to our ethical principles, this should be changed. The authors posit that increasing students’ exposure to and understanding of abortion is necessary in the preparation of competent social work practitioners. Using Begun et al.’s (2016) Social Workers’ Abortion Attitudes, Knowledge, and Training questionnaire, the authors expanded the survey by creating additional questions about social work curriculum coverage and training experiences, as well as further content on abortion. Findings indicate that most social work students believe abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances, and also that abortion laws should be less restrictive in the United States. Reported religion and political affiliation had significant effects on several of the abortion attitude statements. Only 7.2% of respondents indicated that abortion is regularly discussed in social work classrooms, and only 2.7% of respondents report they have received training on the topic of abortion in their field placement. The results suggest that social work curriculum coverage on reproductive justice is tenuous and inconsistent at best, leaving students to grapple without the necessary professional foundation.
Flexure based gripper to grasp hollow objects by internal surface interaction
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Yadav Harsh , Gupta Varan , Khatait Jitendra P
Published: December 2021

The paper focuses on the design, development, and evaluation of a gripper intended to hold hollow objects by interacting with the inner surface. The gripper moves towards the inside of the hollow object and grips it using the friction forces applied on the surface of the object. The design also ensures the application of variable normal forces on the surface of the object to be grasped. The mathematical architecture is verified using prototypes and experiments.
Optimal design of the disc vents for high-speed railway vehicles using thermal-structural coupled analysis with genetic algorithm
Authors: Song Ji-Hun , Kang Seong-Woong , Kim Youn-Jea
Published: December 2021

Braking devices are devices that convert kinetic energy into thermal energy using frictional force. A disc-type brake uses the frictional force to brake and can be used in a wide range of applications, such as automobiles, railway vehicles, and aircraft. However, heat dissipation of the disc has been considered a major problem. High temperatures during the braking process cause thermal stress and deformation problems of the disc because the physical properties of metal composing the disc change drastically with temperature. In this study, vents were applied on the disc surface to increase their heat dissipation performance. In general, vents are structurally susceptible to stress and deformation. However, heat dissipation is essential because the disc surface rises to high temperatures. Therefore, a thermal-structural coupled analysis was performed using the computational fluid dynamics and finite element method methods. Five different rotational speeds and surface temperatures of the disc were considered. Design of experiments was used to determine an optimized design utilizing the data from the coupled analysis, and Latin hypercube sampling was used to generate samples from a set of N regions. And the genetic algorithm was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis of the design parameters. The optimized design was determined for harsh conditions. The diameters of vents were selected 6.87 mm, 6.12 mm, and 5.99 mm in a radial direction through the optimization. Thermal stress and deformation acting on the disc were reduced in the optimally designed disc. The optimized disc model experiences a 7.01% decrease in maximum equivalent stress when compared to the original disc. The model also decreased by 7.63% in maximum equivalent elastic strain. So, through enhanced convection-induced heat dissipation, the vents can be considered as a new way to prevent problems with the thermal stress and deformation that were apparent at high temperatures.
Application of solid lubricant for enhanced frictional efficiency of deep drawing process
Authors: Jivan RB , Eskandarzade M , Bewsher SR , Leighton M , Mohammadpour M , Saremi-Yarahmadi S
Published: December 2021

Manufacturing processes are usually energy intensive, contributing to the global carbon dioxide emissions. Deep Drawing is one of the most common types of sheet metal forming processes with great potential for energy efficiency improvement. In this paper, the optimised combination of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and graphite is proposed as a solid lubricant to reduce the punching force and energy consumption of deep drawing process. Different mixtures of MoS2 and graphite are prepared and their tribological performance are measured using experimental tests on tribometer. In order to investigate the friction reduction rate in deep drawing process, finite element simulation of the drawing process is performed. Results show that friction reduction using proposed combination of lubricants has significant effect on punching force and would provide greater process efficiency.