bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes of Extreme High Temperature by Global Warming in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Cao Chenyu , Guan Xiaodan , Sun Wen , Guo Shuyang , Chen Bin
Published: October 2022

In recent decades, a high frequency of extreme high temperature has occurred in many regions worldwide, with serious impacts on society and the economy. As the temperature increases, the sensitivity of extreme high temperatures to changing thresholds in the northern midlatitudes exhibits a different performance response. The results of this study show that extreme high temperature in the increasing phase is more sensitive to changes in the threshold in both observations and simulations (the largest difference in the speed of temperature increase occurs at 3.5 and 25 days decade−1), primarily in North America and central Asia. However, an obvious discrepancy appears in the time series before 1980 and the spatial scale over North America between the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST) and Hadley Centre Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily (HadGHCND) datasets. This finding highlights the fact that the old definition of being in the increasing temperature phase in modern climate history is problematic today. At the same time, when the old base period is selected, the frequency of extreme high temperatures will become a common event (close to 98% in a year) by 2100. Using 1961–90 as the base period is not suitable for calculating extreme temperatures in the future from the perspective of adapting to climate change. The increasing temperature threshold means there will be more frequent hot days, indicating that agriculture and species will be negatively affected, more wildfires will occur, and thus risks to humanity will increase.
Describing and Predicting Feeding Problems During the First 2 Years Within an Urban Pediatric Primary Care Center
Authors: Caldwell Angela R. , Terhorst Lauren , Magnan Katelin , Bogen Debra L.
Published: October 2022

We conducted a prospective cohort study with children aged 6 to 18 months to identify predictors of feeding problems in an urban sample. Parent-reported child feeding problems (Montreal Children’s Hospital Feeding Scale) and picky eating, parental anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7), and family meal structure (Meals in Our Household) were assessed via a Web-based survey at 3 time points. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, and mixed-effects regression modeling. Eighty parents completed the survey. Child picky eating ( r =.51) and resistance to try new foods ( r = .30), parental anxiety ( r = .34), rushed mealtimes ( r = .28), and child age ( r = .32) were significantly associated with child feeding problems. Feeding Scale scores were, on average, 6 points higher among picky eaters than those who were not over time ( p < .001). Parent reports of picky eating early in life may warrant additional clinical investigation and referral to feeding specialists.
A Narratological Re-examination of John Mark’s Departure from the First Missionary Journey in Light of Lukan Name-Structures
Authors: Valdez Erbey Galvan
Published: October 2022

Acts 13:13 describes one of the most puzzling events of the nascent Christian Church—John Mark’s departure from Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28). Although Luke appears to offer no details on the motive for John Mark’s actions, this study argues that Luke did not remain completely silent on this issue. Through a distinctive literary strategy, Luke depicted John Mark as an evolving character, thus pointing the informed first century Christian reader to the reason for his departure at Perga. To wit, this article proposes that, because John Mark’s departure was driven by theological differences with Paul, based on his view that the Gentiles could not live sanctified lives apart from submission to certain ceremonial Second-Temple idiosyncrasies, Luke contextualized John Mark’s progression towards embracing the Gentile mission by using four variant Markan name-structures as literary emblems of his missiological evolution. In light of Paul’s pro-Gentile mission, affirmed at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the rift between Paul and his young co-laborer, likely theological in nature, may have manifested itself upon their arrival at Paphos and subsequent voyage to Perga in Pamphylia.
Financialization goes South: Foreign capital flows and financial accumulation in emerging markets
Authors: Soener Matthew
Published: October 2022

Has global financial integration allowed firms in the so-called “Global South” to profit from financial activity? Financialization researchers have either neglected these countries and the international economic order in general or neglected firm-level dynamics, a broad sample of emerging markets, and a theoretical and historical explanation for this trend. I attempt to fill these gaps using data on all non-financial corporations across 31 emerging market economies to answer this question. To theorize and explain the recent historical origins of this process in a more sociological and global lens, I draw on the work of Giovanni Arrighi. My results show that financial inflows, but not outflows, increase financial accumulation in Global South firms—specifically short-term investments and cross-border lending. Moreover, nearly all financial income is generated by the largest firms. These results help explain how financial power undermines development in the Global South yet simultaneously empowers local economic elites who benefit from financial integration.
How Empowerment Can Help to Reduce Change-Related Uncertainty in Young Employees
Authors: Lang-Lehmann Sarah , Müller Patrick , Reinhard Marc-André , Volz Sarah
Published: October 2022

Change can affect employee work behavior and well-being in a variety of ways. The mediating and moderating factors that produce these effects, however, are not fully understood. This study examines the mediating role of uncertainty on affective commitment and organizational attractiveness and assesses whether psychological empowerment can mitigate the effects of change-related uncertainty. Survey data stems from 971 young German banking sector employees during a change period. Results reveal a negative relationship between change and affective commitment as well as between change and organizational attractiveness, with both relationships mediated by uncertainty. Furthermore, empowerment does not moderate this mediation for affective commitment but does for organizational attractiveness. Thus, there are fewer negative effects of uncertainty on organizational attractiveness when psychological empowerment is high. This has several implications for practice: uncertainty should be counteracted during change processes, for example, through transparent communication, and psychological empowerment should be promoted before and during change processes.
On the Donation of Eggs, Sperm, and Selves
Authors: Morse Jennifer Roback
Published: October 2022

Every single human being who has ever been conceived has come into existence precisely because God wants him or her to exist. The present article offers psychological and spiritual considerations to assist people who, in a variety of settings, are evaluating medical-assisted technologies that require the removal of gametes from the body, especially those procedures that involve the buying and selling of gametes. Gamete “donation” is a misnomer when the transactions involve cash payment. Gamete “donation” is contrasted with the “self-donation” that a married couple makes to each other, and by extension to their children, in the marital embrace. The article draws out some of the implications of this contrast, particularly to the child's sense of identity. Particular attention is drawn to the mistakes and mix-ups that can occur when the gametes are removed from the body, which would be literally impossible under the circumstances of natural procreation. I conclude that the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church makes a uniquely humane and personalist contribution to the important public conversation about the use of assisted reproduction.
Defining, measuring, and supporting the success of equity officers
Authors: Rice-Boothe Mary , Marshall Tanji Reed
Published: October 2022

As more K-12 school districts have hired equity officers, questions have arisen about their role and effectiveness. A recent Heritage Foundation report, for example, found that schools with equity officers have the lowest achievement outcomes. Mary Rice-Boothe and Tanji Reed Marshall point out, however, that student achievement is not the only metric for determining the success of equity officers. When holding equity officers accountable, it’s important to be clear about the expectations for the role, establish appropriate measurements to assess their effectiveness, and provide supports that set the leaders up for success.
How to respond to community concerns about critical race theory
Authors: Hodge Emily M. , López Francesca A. , Rosenberg Joshua M.
Published: October 2022

Many school leaders responded to the controversies over critical race theory with denial. That approach can backfire, according to Emily Hodge, Francesca López, and Joshua Rosenberg. They suggest proactive messaging, which can help prevent leaders from falling into the trap of reactively defending their practices and letting the direction of the conversation be guided by those with the most extreme views.
First Person: Lamenting Earl — and other chronically absent students
Authors: Northern Amber M.
Published: October 2022

When Amber Northern was a beginning teacher 30 years ago, one of her students, Earl, was in 9th-grade English for the third time. He only came to class once or twice a week and intended to quit school, with his father’s permission, once he turned 17. Northern delves into the research on chronic absenteeism and considers which, if any, evidence-based interventions might have been helpful for Earl. She finds that three strategies of the five she considered passed the test.
Under the Law: School accountability: Lessons from the courts
Authors: Kim Robert
Published: October 2022

No Child Left Behind and the Every Student Succeeds Act have made accountability central to conversations about education policy. But neither statute articulates a clear vision of what constitutes “quality” or “equity” in education, nor do they include a mechanism to ensure that schools have sufficient resources to pursue that vision. For that, Bob Kim explains, we must turn to the courts. Kim discusses some of the court cases that have set out frameworks for determining whether schools are providing an adequate or equitable education and for providing the resources needed to do so.
Police Protection Rackets and Political Modernity in Mexico
Authors: Lerch Alejandro
Published: October 2022

This article provides a long-term historical periodization of federal police agencies under Mexico's single-party regime (1930s–2000). Based on archival findings in Mexico and the United States, as well as interviews with former law-enforcement officials, the article documents and reflects, in particular, on the entanglements between federal policing agencies and organized crime (police protection rackets). Drawing from bandit studies and critical perspectives on policing, the article argues police protection rackets to be an integral but overlooked mechanism in Mexico's modern state-formation process. The article also hints at the important but largely overlooked role of police protection rackets in the making of capitalist modernity more generally.
Trait Hedonism and the Distribution of Savoring and Positive Emotion States in Everyday Life
Authors: Pavani Jean-Baptiste , Colombo Desirée
Published: October 2022

The present study aimed at (1) identifying the emotion regulation processes that can explain the trait hedonism positive emotions relationship, and (2) determining whether this relationship varies according to which part of the distribution of positive emotions is considered. To this end, the intensity of the positive emotions felt by 84 adult participants, and the intensity of their engagement in savoring, were assessed twice a day over a month period, using an Experience Sampling Method. Participants’ distributions of these variables were then related to their level of trait hedonism, assessed with a common questionnaire. Results suggested that, as expected, the trait hedonism positive emotions relationship varied according to which part of the distribution of positive emotions was considered. In their worst times (i.e., first centiles of each individual’s distribution), individuals with low versus high trait hedonism differed very little from each other. By contrast, in more favorable times (i.e., following centiles), individuals with high levels of trait hedonism experienced more intense positive emotions than individuals with low levels of trait hedonism. This phenomenon was mediated by individuals’ engagement in savoring. These results are discussed in light of current theories on emotion dynamics.
Teacher-Family Solidarity as Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Practice
Authors: Hong Soo , Baloch Mona H. , Conklin Katharine H. , Warren Haeli W.
Published: October 2022

In this research article, the authors examine the intersections of culturally sustaining pedagogy and critical family engagement to explore the possibilities for equitable family-school partnerships in urban schools. Based on the common values of trusting and caring relationships and power disruption within those fields, as well as data from a multi-year qualitative study of teachers and their relationships with students’ families, the authors introduce the framework of teacher-family solidarity. The framework challenges traditional conceptions of parent-teacher relationships, and the supporting narratives of teachers and parent/caregivers illustrate that teacher-family solidarity should become an indispensable part of culturally sustaining pedagogy and practice.
The Two Routes of Collective Psychological Ownership: Rights and Responsibilities Explain Intentions to Exclude Outsiders and Engage in Stewardship Behavior
Authors: Nijs Tom , Martinovic Borja , Verkuyten Maykel
Published: October 2022

People can have a sense of collective ownership of a particular territory, such as “our” country, “our” neighborhood, and “our” park. Collective psychological ownership is argued to go together with rights and responsibilities that have different behavioral implications. We found that collective psychological ownership leads to perceived determination right, and indirectly to the exclusion of outsiders from “our” place. Simultaneously, collective psychological ownership leads to perceived group responsibility, and indirectly to engagement in stewardship behavior. These results were found among Dutch adults, cross-sectionally in relation to their country (Study 1; N = 617) and a neighborhood (Study 2; N = 784), and experimentally in relation to an imaginary local park (Study 3; N = 384, Study 4; N = 502, both pre-registered). Our research shows that the feeling that a place is “ours” can, via perceived rights and responsibilities, result in both exclusionary and prosocial behavioral tendencies.
Jean Aicard, ‘Molière à Shakespeare’, 1879: Introduction
Authors: Dobson Michael
Published: October 2022

‘Molière à Shakspeare’ was recited on 2 June 1879 by the leading actor François Got as the prologue to a forty-performance season given by the Comédie-Française at the Gaiety Theatre in London. An understanding of what prompted Jean Aicard's poem and what makes it significant depends on the knowledge of its context. This short introduction to a transcription of the prologue outlines that context and briefly compares the poem with its companion piece, a one-act play on another Shakespearean theme, produced by the same author for the last night of the season which this prologue introduced.
An extended usability and UX evaluation of a mobile application for the navigation of individuals with blindness and visual impairments indoors: An evaluation approach combined with training sessions
Authors: Theodorou Paraskevi , Tsiligkos Kleomenis , Meliones Apostolos , Tsigris Andreas
Published: October 2022

Navigating indoor spaces is especially challenging for individuals with blindness and visual impairments. Although many solutions currently exist, the acceptance of most of them is extremely poor due to their technical limitations and the complete lack of taking into consideration factors, such as usability and the perceived experience among others, which influence adoption rates. To alleviate this problem, we created BlindMuseumTourer, a state-of-the-art indoor navigation smartphone application that tracks and navigates the user inside the spaces of a museum. At the same time, it provides services for narration and description of the exhibits. The proposed system consists of an Android application that leverages the sensors found on smartphones and utilizes a novel pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) mechanism that optionally takes input from the Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons specially mounted on the exhibits. This article presents the extended Usability and User Experience evaluation of BlindMuseumTourer and the findings carried out with 30 participants having varying degrees of blindness. Throughout this process, we received feedback for improving both the available functionality and the specialized user-centred training sessions in which blind users are first exposed to our application’s functionality. The methodology of this evaluation employs standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and the results indicate an overall positive attitude from the users. In the future, we intend to extend the number and type of indoor spaces supported by our application.
Rasch analysis of the 32-item motor function measure in ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Huang Meihuan , Chen Turong , Zhou Chunming , Wang Yujuan , Zeng Hongwu , Lu Xinguo , Cao Jianguo
Published: October 2022

Objective

This study analyzed the 32-item Motor Function Measure in a cohort of ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy using Rasch measurement methods.

Design

This is a psychometric study.

Setting

Rehabilitation centre of a large public children's hospital in Shenzhen, China.

Participants

Data from 176 genetically confirmed ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (mean age 7.3 years, SD 2.3 years, range 3.1–13.1 years) were analyzed.

Results

Rasch analyses supported the Motor Function Measure domain D1 as a reliable (person reliability  =  0.88, person separation index  =  2.71) and valid (acceptable targeting, little misfit, minimal category disordering) measure in ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Remodelling the domain D1 by collapsing item 25 from 4 to 3 response categories addressed the problematic disordered thresholds, resulting in a rebuilt domain D1 with enhanced measurement properties. However, findings for domains D2 and D3 did not fulfil most Rasch model expectations. There were disordered thresholds for most items in domains D2 and D3, with low reliability coefficients, item mistargeting and misfit, and large ceiling effects.

Conclusion

Rasch analyses confirmed that the Motor Function Measure domain D1 was reliable and valid and provided a unidimensional measure for motor function in ambulant Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Accuracy of measurement had been enhanced through remodelling, and a rebuilt domain D1 with category collapsing for item 25 was proposed. The analysis revealed multiple limitations of the domains D2 and D3 that certain essential psychometrics were poorly met and, therefore, should be used with caution in this patient group.
Association between susceptibility value and cerebral blood flow in the bilateral putamen in patients undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Wang Hao , Song Lijun , Li Mingan , Yang Zhenghan , Wang Zhen-Chang
Published: October 2022

Hemodialysis (HD) is the most regularly applied replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease, but it may result in brain injuries. The correlation between cerebral blood flow (CBF) alteration and iron deposition has not been investigated in patients undergoing HD. Ferritin level may be a dominant factor in CBF and iron deposition change. We hypothesize that ferritin level might be the key mediator between iron deposition and CBF alteration. The correlation in the putamen was estimated between the susceptibility values and CBF in patients undergoing HD. Compared with healthy controls, patients showed more altered global susceptibility values and CBF. The susceptibility value was negatively correlated with CBF in the putamen in patients. Moreover, the susceptibility value was negatively correlated with ferritin level and positively correlated with serum iron level in the putamen of patients. CBF was positively correlated with ferritin level and negatively correlated with serum iron level in the putamen of patients. These findings indicate that iron dyshomeostasis and vascular damage might exist in the putamen in patients. The results revealed that iron dyshomeostasis and vascular damage in the putamen may be potential neural mechanisms for neurodegenerative processes in patients undergoing HD.
Application value of T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence based on deep learning in static lacunar infarction
Authors: Hou Yanzhen , Liu Qian , Chen Jialing , Wu Bin , Zeng Feihong , Yang Zhongxian , Song Haiyan , Liu Yubao
Published: October 2022

Background

Regular monitoring of static lacunar infarction (SLI) lesions plays an important role in preventing disease development and managing prognosis. Magnetic resonance imaging is one method used to monitor SLI lesions.

Purpose

To evaluate the image quality of the T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) sequence using artificial intelligence-assisted compressed sensing (ACS) in detecting SLI lesions and assess its clinical applicability.

Methods

A total of 42 patients were prospectively enrolled and scanned by T2-FLAIR. Two independent readers reviewed the images acquired with accelerated modes 1D (acceleration factor 2) and ACS (acceleration factors 2, 3, and 4). The overall image quality and lesion image quality were analyzed, as were signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and number of lesions between groups.

Results

The subjective assessment of overall brain image quality and lesion image quality was consistent between the two readers. The lesion display quality and the overall image quality were better with the traditional 1D acceleration method than with the ACS accelerated method. There was no significant difference in the SNR of the lacunar infarction in the images between the groups. The CNR of the images with the 1D acceleration mode was significantly lower than that of images with the ACS acceleration mode. Images with the 1D, ACS2, and ACS3 acceleration modes showed no significant differences in terms of detecting lesions but scan time can be reduced by 40% (1D vs. ACS3).

Conclusion

ACS acceleration mode can greatly reduce the scan time. In addition, the images have good SNR, high CNR, and strong SLI lesion detection ability.
An assessment of drug and substance abuse prevalence: a cross-sectional study among undergraduates in selected southwestern universities in Nigeria
Authors: Olanrewaju John Afees , Hamzat Ezekiel Olumide , Enya Joseph Igbo , Udekwu Maureen Obiageli , Osuoya Quincy , Bamidele Richard , Feyisike Johnson Olawumi , Johnson Babajide Semeton , Olanrewaju Ifedolapo , Owolabi Joshua Oladele
Published: October 2022

Objective

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence and awareness of drug and substance abuse among undergraduates in four southwestern universities in Nigeria.

Methods

The sample of 400 students included 100 male and female students in the 15- to 29-year age range from each of the four selected universities in southwest Nigeria between December 2019 and June 2020. Descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests were used for data analysis using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).

Results

Four hundred students satisfied the inclusion criteria and suitably completed the questionnaire. Most respondents were in the 15- to 19-year and 20- to 24-year age groups and were female (68%). Drug and substance abuse prevalence was 45.7%; one in every four students abused substances despite an aggregate risk awareness level of 94.6%. Alcohol and cigarettes—legally and socially accepted substances—were the most abused (61.5% and 54.5%, respectively). Codeine-containing syrup and tramadol topped the list of drugs, ranking higher than cannabis. The major motive was to ‘get high’ and numb emotional problems caused by predominantly socioeconomic and societal factors.

Conclusion

The study showed a notable prevalence of drug and substance abuse across the selected universities in southwest Nigeria.
Utility of fluorescence imitating brightfield imaging microscopy for the diagnosis of feline chronic enteropathy
Authors: Au Yeung Sarah , Giaretta Paula , Morningstar Taryn , Masuda Eduardo , Questa Maria , Fereidouni Farzad , Levenson Richard M. , Marsilio Sina
Published: October 2022

Fluorescence imitating brightfield imaging (FIBI) is a novel microscopy method that allows for real-time, nondestructive, slide-free tissue imaging of fresh, formalin-fixed, or paraffin-embedded tissue. The nondestructive nature of the technology permits tissue preservation for downstream analyses. The objective of this observational study was to assess the utility of FIBI compared with conventional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained histology slides in feline gastrointestinal histopathology. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded full-thickness small intestinal tissue specimens from 50 cases of feline chronic enteropathy were evaluated. The ability of FIBI to evaluate predetermined morphological features (epithelium, villi, crypts, lacteals, fibrosis, submucosa, and muscularis propria) and inflammatory cells was assessed on a 3-point scale (0 = FIBI cannot identify the feature; 1 = FIBI can identify the feature; 2 = FIBI can identify the feature with more certainty than H&E). H&E and FIBI images were also scored according to World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Gastrointestinal Standardization Group guidelines. FIBI identified morphological features with similar or, in some cases, higher confidence compared with H&E images. The identification of inflammatory cells was less consistent. FIBI and H&E images showed an overall poor agreement with regard to the assigned WSAVA scores. While FIBI showed an equal or better ability to identify morphological features in intestinal biopsies, its ability to identify inflammatory cells is currently inferior compared with H&E-based imaging. Future studies on the utility of FIBI as a diagnostic tool for noninflammatory histopathologic lesions are warranted.
Predicting Traffic Performance During a Wildfire Using Machine Learning
Authors: Hou Zenghao , Darr Justin , Zhang Michael
Published: October 2022

Many places around the world periodically suffer from wildfires that threaten lives and disrupt normal traffic operations. Poor traffic performance during wildfires can inhibit the effectiveness of evacuations. Understanding traffic performance during a wildfire would therefore help transportation operators develop emergency traffic control plans. In this study, we developed a traffic speed and flow prediction model that uses support vector regression (SVR), for use during wildfire incidents. This was constructed using historical data for wildfires in California from 2010 to 2019, which were paired with records of the traffic speed and flow on adjacent highways and the prevailing weather conditions during the wildfire events. The results showed that traffic performance during a wildfire could be predicted using the SVR model. Based on our prediction results, we recommend that policies be implemented to encourage or mandate more detailed data collection of wildfire events, such as the fire’s boundary over time, to facilitate better prediction results in models like the one proposed in this paper. This paper should inspire further work on the topic to improve the model and provide a reliable prediction tool for transportation operators in the future.
Introduction to thinking place: Materiality, atmospheres and spaces of belonging
Authors: la Fuente Eduardo de , Gibson Margaret , Walsh Michael James , Szypielewicz Magdalena
Published: October 2022

This introduction positions the special issue by highlighting the inherent relationality of place as well as how place is not just an object of analysis but something that shapes thinking, writing and experiences of the world. We reflect on why sociology has found it somewhat more difficult than its social science counterparts to give place the centrality it merits, and discuss whether this reflects a problem with dealing with questions of ‘scale’ and thinking the ‘in-betweenness’ of place. We assess important formulations of place in recent place theories, including non-essentialist framings of place such as ‘progressive’ and as ‘assemblage’. We make a case for seeing the articles in this special issue (and Thesis Eleven’s own long history of publishing writing on the topic of place) as resonating with the themes of place as materiality, atmospheres and spaces of belonging.
The sonic framing of place: Microsociology, urban atmospheres and quiet hour shopping
Authors: la Fuente Eduardo de , Walsh Michael James
Published: October 2022

In this article we examine the sonic framing of place. Our theoretical approach combines Goffman’s microsociology (and its sociology of music/sound studies off-shoots) with an account of sound in the urban atmospheres literature. Drawing on the work of French urban sociologist Jean-Paul Thibaud and associated work on sound in urban environments by the CRESSON research centre, we propose that sound frames activity in particular ways, including by infusing self and space with a certain tone, and by rendering places more or less hospitable. In the latter part of the article, we examine Quiet Hour shopping as a case study in the sonic constitution and transformation of places. We conclude by reflecting on whether the social and cultural theoretical analysis of sound has suffered from a ‘noise bias’, and whether the ‘resonances’ of public places is a new frontier in both sociological research and in the politics of cities.
Unraveling the Relation Between Personality and Well-Being in a Genetically Informative Design
Authors: Pelt Dirk H. M. , de Vries Lianne P. , Bartels Meike
Published: October 2022

In the current study, common and unique genetic and environmental influences on personality and a broad range of well-being measures were investigated. Data on the Big Five, life satisfaction, quality of life, self-rated health, loneliness, and depression from 14,253 twins and their siblings (age M: 31.82, SD: 14.41, range 16–97) from the Netherlands Twin Register were used in multivariate extended twin models. The best-fitting theoretical model indicated that genetic variance in personality and well-being traits can be decomposed into effects due to one general, common factor ( Mdn: 60%, range 15%–89%), due to personality-specific ( Mdn: 2%, range 0%–78%) and well-being-specific ( Mdn: 12%, range 4%–35%) factors, and trait-specific effects ( Mdn: 18%, range 0%–65%). Significant amounts of non-additive genetic influences on the traits’ (co)variances were found, while no evidence was found for quantitative or qualitative sex differences. Taken together, our study paints a fine-grained, complex picture of common and unique genetic and environmental effects on personality and well-being. Implications for the interpretation of shared variance, inflated phenotypic correlations between traits and future gene finding studies are discussed.
Evaluation and prediction method of automotive electronic accelerator pedal based on support vector regression
Authors: Wang Minxue , Miao Wei , Tan Yudian , Wu Kunpeng , Li Xue , Gu Yili , Chen Liqing
Published: October 2022

In the process of automobile electronic accelerator pedal development, it is a critical and challenging issue to evaluate the rationality and comfort of the design of an automotive electronic accelerator pedal. Many factors influence the comfort of the accelerator pedal, such as the spatial layout, dynamic characteristics, and matching characteristics of the accelerator pedal and vehicle motion. Since comfort evaluation requires a lot of manpower and material resources, this paper proposes a prediction model based on support vector machine regression algorithm (SVR) for comprehensive evaluation of Chinese passenger car pedals. It uses the known evaluation results to predict the unknown evaluated accelerator pedal parameters to achieve a more efficient and accurate assessment of electronic accelerator pedal design. Firstly, the article performs pedal position scans, pedal static, and road tests to give criteria, limitations, and recommended design ranges for pedal operation. Then, the vehicle performance was predicted and evaluated using a support vector machine prediction model and back propagation (BP) neural network prediction model for comparison. The correlation coefficient for the prediction results of the SVR model was 0.9024 with a mean square error was 0.00195. The correlation coefficient for the BP neural network model prediction result was 0.8694 with a mean square error of 0.00582. Finally, the simulation results were analyzed, and the results showed that support vector regression outperformed the neural network in predicting the validity and reliability of pedal design and performance evaluation, and can facilitate automotive pedal design and development.
A comparative study of solar photovoltaic operated milk cooler for realizing the need for load management and starting circuits
Authors: Kumar J Prasanna Naveen , Prabakaran Rajendran , D Mohan Lal
Published: October 2022

A study on the working characteristics of a variable speed DC compressor for variable solar irradiance has been carried out. Two compressors (total cooling capacity of 300 W) were directly connected to the solar photovoltaic (PV) panel, with both having the ability to start when solar irradiance reached 700 W/m2. When individually connected, the minimum solar irradiance required for a single compressor to start and run were 400 W/m2 and 200 W/m2. However, when two compressors in the loop were at rest, and when the solar irradiance was just above 400 W/m2, it was not sufficient to start both compressors. As a result, single compressor only began to run and another one took more time to start. Thus, a load management circuit is necessary for starting and sustaining the load for two compressors. A starting circuit is essential for the supply of the required starting current so that the single compressor and double compressors can start with the minimum irradiance of 200 W/m2 and 400 W/m2 respectively. Lab test (LTs) were performed using a regulated DC power supply (RPS) for the same test conditions as the field tests (FTs). The PV output was predicted using the PVsyst software and fed into the RPS. The results reveal the discrepancies in the behavioral characteristics of the DC compressors between FT and LT conditions.
Maternal retention and early infant HIV diagnosis in a prospective cohort study of HIV-positive women and their children in Malawi
Authors: Giuliano Marina , Orlando Stefano , Andreotti Mauro , Mthiko Bryan , Mphwere Robert , Kavalo Thom , Ciccacci Fausto , Marazzi Maria Cristina , Floridia Marco
Published: October 2022

Background

Post-partum loss to follow-up and lack of early HIV infant diagnosis (EID) can significantly affect the efficiency of programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Methods

In a prospective observational study 167 women were enrolled at week 36 of gestation and followed with their infants up to one year after delivery. Retention was defined as the proportion of women who attended the 12 months visit and EID as an HIV PCR test performed within 2 months. Determinants for retention and EID were assessed in univariate analyses and in multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Women lost to follow-up (24/167 or 14.4%) had a shorter duration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at enrolment in comparison to women retained in care ( p = 0.025). Lack of EID (occurring in 18.9% of the cases) was directly correlated, although not significantly, with a history of child death ( p = 0.071), a higher educational level ( p = 0.083), and female infant gender ( p = 0.064).

Conclusions

Longer duration of ART at enrolment significantly predicted a better post-partum retention, suggesting that specific counselling interventions should be targeted to recent ART initiators. A low proportion of infants did not receive an EID, but predictive factors were difficult to identify.
Anticipatory Threat Mitigates the Breakdown of Group Cooperation
Authors: Lojowska Maria , Gross Jörg , De Dreu Carsten K. W.
Published: October 2022

Humans are exposed to environmental and economic threats that can profoundly affect individual survival and group functioning. Although anecdotal evidence suggests that threat exposure can increase collective action, the effects of threat on decision-making have been mainly investigated at the individual level. Here we examine how threat exposure and concomitant physiological responses modulate cooperation in small groups. Individuals ( N = 105, ages 18–34 years) in groups of three were exposed to threat of electric shocks while deciding how much to contribute to a public good. Threat of shock induced a state of physiological freezing and, compared with no-threat conditions, reduced free riding and enabled groups to maintain higher cooperation over time. Exploratory analyses revealed that more cooperative responses under threat were driven by stronger baseline prosociality, suggesting that habitual prosociality is reinforced under threat. The current results support the view that human groups respond to outside threat with increased cooperation.
Japan energy mix and economic growth nexus: Focus on natural gas consumption
Authors: Eweade Babatunde S , Uzuner Gizem , Akadiri Ada Chigozie , Lasisi Taiwo Temitope
Published: October 2022

Japan's recent enunciation of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” policy aims to promote principles such as free trade, freedom of navigation, and encouraging economic prosperity with building commitment to stability and peace connecting the economic hub of Asia to Africa (MFA, 2019). Natural gas use continues to dominate Japan's energy mix despite efforts to improve environmental protection and attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also, increasing production and investment typically leads to a better quality of life and more disposable income for the populace, which promotes economic growth. To this end, the study investigates the relationship between economic growth, trade openness, and natural gas consumption, as well as gross fixed capital formation and carbon dioxide emissions to overcome omitted variable problems to explore the natural gas-economic growth hypothesis in Japan over the period 1980–2020. Empirical results reveal a long-run relationship among the variables under consideration. By applying the Toda and Yamamoto approach to Granger causality testing, a two-sided causality running from CO2 and economic growth was revealed, while a one-sided causality from economic growth to natural gas consumption. This outcome suggests that the natural gas-economic growth hypothesis is not valid for Japan. According to these outcomes, policymakers in the energy sector should consciously diversify their energy portfolio in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Japan. Also, it is recommended that there should be a provision of access to skilled labor to increase productivity and export finished products to boost a nation's economy.
Effect of α-aluminium oxide nano additives with Sal biodiesel blend as a potential alternative fuel for existing DI diesel engine
Authors: Sharma Abhishek , Pali Harveer Singh , Kumar Manish , Singh Nishant Kumar , Rahim Erween Abd , Singh Yashvir , Gupta Naveen Kumar
Published: October 2022

The increasing demand, rapid consumption, price increase, limited reserves, and environmental concern due to pollution produced by conventional fossil fuel (diesel & gasoline) are a few reasons why biofuels need to be explored. The present paper employs a systematic methodology to examine the performance of a 20% volumetric blend of Sal biodiesel (S20) blended with diesel using α-aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3) nanoparticles (NP) as additives and is compared with a diesel under like circumstances. The central composite design, Box-Behnken design (BBD) based response surface methodology, and desirability tests are used in the organized experiments on a diesel engine configuration to facilitate calibration. The created multivariate regression model yields all of the best engine inputs. Interaction effects are used to determine the most influential element by observing the interaction of two distinct input factors on a single response. According to the desirability tests, the highest estimated desirability was 0.579; the optimal input parameters found are 21°bTDC injection timing (IT), 238 bar injection pressure (IOP), 17 compression ratio (CR), and 74 ppm concentration of α-Al2O3NP, estimated the optimized response of brake thermal efficiency (BHTE) 31.18%, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) 0.2975 kg/kWh, carbon monoxide (CO) 0.0887%, hydrocarbon (HC) 31 ppm, oxide of nitrogen (NOx) 677 ppm, and smoke level 54.92%. These predicted values were validated with experimental results, and errors were within the range. The nanoparticle combination sample offers improved brake thermal efficiency (BTHE) and lower BSFC rate than the S20 while testing for the optimal parametric condition.

Graphical abstract [Formula: see text]
Depression, Anxiety, and Cigarette Smoking Among Patients with Tuberculosis
Authors: Jones-Patten Alexandria , Wang Qiao , Molebatsi Keneilwe , Novotny Thomas E. , Siddiqi Kamran , Modongo Chawangwa , Zetola Nicola M. , Mbongwe Bontle , Shin Sanghyuk S.
Published: October 2022

Smoking adversely affects tuberculosis (TB) outcomes and may be associated with depression and anxiety among people diagnosed with TB in Botswana. We conducted a cross-sectional study among patients newly diagnosed with TB in Gaborone, Botswana, evaluating factors associated with self-reported cigarette smoking. We performed Poisson regression analyses with robust variance to examine whether depressive and anxiety symptoms were associated with smoking. Among 180 participants with TB enrolled from primary health clinics, depressive symptoms were reported in 47 (26.1%) participants and anxiety symptoms were reported in 85 (47.2%) participants. Overall, 45 (25.0%) participants reported current smoking. Depressive symptoms were associated with a higher prevalence of smoking (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29–3.25) in the adjusted analysis. The association between anxiety symptoms and smoking did not reach statistical significance (aPR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.77–2.05). Future studies should further investigate these associations when addressing TB care.
Dynamic response control of centrifugal pendulum vibration absorber with motion-limiting device during startup in gravity field
Authors: Zhang Yi , Wu Guangqiang , Long Yiming
Published: October 2022

The dynamic performance of a vertically rotating centrifugal pendulum vibration absorber (CPVA) during engine start-up was investigated. The equations of motion were established using a Lagrange equation of the second kind containing terms for gravity and the motion-limiting device of the absorber, respectively. The optimal positioning of the motion-limiting device was determined from the perspective of CPVA stability and damping capability, and the terminology for the CPVA damping quality factor was defined to evaluate the damping capability of the absorber. Simulink models were established to simulate the behaviour of the absorbers at different speeds during engine initiation and assess the impact between the absorber and motion-limiting device during engine start. Based on the results, the concept of knocking power was proposed, and it was shown that resonance occurring during engine start worsens the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) performance of the system. It was further shown that the initial position of the absorber at the moment of engine start to turn affects the knocking power and, as a result, the startup noise of the CPVA. The study also finds that the transient position of the absorber at the engine ignition time affects the knocking power. The responses of CPVA under different working conditions were tested on an electric bench and compared with simulation results. Based on our results, we propose several measures to control absorber behaviour and reduce knocking power.
Prediction and mitigation of train-induced vibrations of over-track buildings on a metro depot: Field measurement and numerical simulation
Authors: Wang Siqi , Cao Zhigang , Xu Yifei , Xiao Zheng , Yuan Zonghao , Cai Yuanqiang , Gou Changfei
Published: October 2022

To predict the vibration transmission of over-track buildings and investigate the effectiveness of countermeasures, a fully coupled three-dimensional vibration prediction model for over-track buildings with consideration of the pile–soil interaction (PSI) was proposed. The accuracy of this prediction model was validated with field data from in-situ vibration monitoring in a metro depot. The consideration of PSI improved prediction accuracy about the vibration of over-track buildings. Then the effectiveness of different mitigation measures (rail damper and ballast mat) was investigated by this prediction model. It was found that the vibration of over-track buildings was dominated by vertical vibration components. Rail dampers significantly reduced the vibration in the high-frequency range above 80 Hz, while the vibration in the low-frequency range below 10 Hz was amplificated. The insertion loss of ballast mats reached 10 dB in the frequency range above 40 Hz except at the resonance frequency of the track, and mitigation effectiveness gradually decreased with increasing story height. This proposed method can predict the vibration level within over-track buildings and is an effective tool to guide the vibration mitigation design of over-track buildings.