bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weight status, dietary habits, physical activity, screen time and sleep duration among university students
Authors: Benaich Souad , Mehdad Slimane , Andaloussi Zineb , Boutayeb Saber , Alamy Meryem , Aguenaou Hassan , Taghzouti Khalid
Published: October 2020

Background:

University life is a crucial period when dietary habits and lifestyle behaviours are formed and may have long-lasting effects on the development of obesity and related chronic diseases.

Aim:

To investigate the association of overweight/obesity with dietary habits, physical activity, screen time and sleep duration among university students.

Methods:

A total of 438 students aged 18–26 years were recruited from Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco. Anthropometric measurements were assessed using standardized equipment. Data regarding dietary habits, physical and sedentary activities were collected via a self-administered questionnaire.

Results:

The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 14.8% and 1.6%, respectively. Students who reported frequent consumption (>3 times/week) of fast food, fried potatoes and sugary drinks were more likely to be overweight/obese than peers who did not. Similarly, odds of being overweight/obese were slightly higher among females who reported non-daily intake of fruits and milk or dairy products and among males who ate vegetables less frequently (<7 times/week). Approximately 26% of students were physically inactive, with a higher proportion of females (35.8%) than males (10.7%). Both short and long sleep durations were associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity in males. In contrast, physical inactivity and increased screen time were associated with a slightly reduced risk of overweight/obesity, particularly in females.

Conclusions:

Overall, unhealthy dietary habits were associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. A similar trend was also observed between abnormal sleep duration and overweight/obesity in males. Interventions to promote healthy dietary and lifestyle habits and prevent overweight/obesity in this population are needed.
Weight discordant siblings’ ability to reduce energy intake at a meal as compensation for prior energy intake from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)
Authors: Ufholz Kelsey , Salvy Sarah-Jeanne , Feda Denise M , Epstein Leonard H , Roemmich James N
Published: October 2020

Background:

Insufficient compensation for energy from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumed prior to meals may promote greater overall energy intake. If so, ability to compensate for prior energy intake may account for difference in adiposity between adolescents with and without overweight. Studies of fraternal siblings discordant for weight status control for some genetic and shared within-family factors, which allows for testing how putative non-shared factors, such as parental control of feeding, predicts sibling weight differences.

Aim:

To determine whether same-sex weight-discordant (one with, one without overweight) adolescent siblings differ in ability to compensate for prior energy intake.

Methods:

Same-sex biological sibling pairs (mean age = 15.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.1, 15.7) ( n = 38 pairs; 21 male pairs) consumed a sugar-sweetened (450 kcal) or a non-nutritive-sweetened (10 kcal) liquid preload of equal volumes on separate days, followed by an ad libitum lunch. Multilevel models examined ability to compensate, dietary restraint, and parental control of child’s feeding.

Results:

Siblings showed insufficient compensation and overate (with overweight = 44 kcal; without overweight = 32 kcal). Siblings shared little within-family similarity in compensation (intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.20). Compensation was predicted by parental restriction and general restriction ( p = 0.02) Differences in siblings’ BMI z-scores were associated with differences in dietary restraint ( p = 0.04) not with differences in compensation.

Conclusion:

Sibling differences in compensation for energy from sweetened beverages were not associated with differences in their adiposity. Compensation may be determined by a constellation of factors, including age, parental feeding practices, and food characteristics.
The presence of the double burden of malnutrition in children and their mothers in Grand-Popo, Benin
Authors: Lokossou Yrence Urielle Amoussou , Azandjèmè Colette , Ayuk Betrand Tambe , Mbhenyane Xikombiso
Published: October 2020

Background:

Malnutrition is a public health problem, with 45% of child deaths attributed to undernutrition.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of the double burden of malnutrition in children-mother pairs in Benin.

Methods:

An analytical cross-sectional approach was used to collect data from 408 randomly selected children aged 0–59 months and their mothers. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic and socioeconomic status, and anthropometric measurements were used to estimate the nutritional status of children and body mass indexes of the mothers. The World Health Organization Anthro software was used to estimate Z-scores whereas SPSS version 25 was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive and regression analysis were carried out on the data.

Results:

The mean age of children was 24.45 ± 14.9 months and 53.2% were girls. The mean age of mothers was 27.99 ± 6.99, 93.1% were married and approximately 91.7% of households had a monthly income of US$60. Prevalence of wasting in children was 9.8% and stunting was 29.7%. The mean waist circumference of mothers was 79.95 ± 10.35 cm and 19.3% were classified as high metabolic risk. Body mass index measurements showed that 16.9% of mothers were overweight and 7.4% obese.

Conclusions:

Stunting and wasting were highly prevalent. There is a coexistence of underweight and overweight in Grand-Popo, Benin. The results drew attention to the need for coordination of preventive interventions to focus on the household food distribution.
Max Weber: From Modernity to Globality – a Personal Memoir
Authors: Albrow Martin
Published: October 2020

Lighting upon Weber as a history student in the late 1950s led to all round engagement with his work to the present day, beginning with rationality and bureaucracy, passing through appreciation of his synoptic vision of modernity, and arguing for the continuing relevance of his rationalization thesis. This emphasis on Weber’s contribution to understanding the course of modernity led in the 1990s to pointing out that his approach to epochal shift provides the basis for understanding the global age. The ever-developing nature of his thought can be further illustrated in his studies of China.
Review: Craig Lundy, Deleuze’s Bergsonism
Authors: Gomez-Marin Alex
Published: October 2020

A century ago Henri Bergson was a world-wide celebrity. However, after the world wars his philosophy had already fallen into disfavor, disdain and oblivion. Prominent molecular biologists claimed to have hammered the final nail in the coffin of vitalism. Francis Crick himself, with prophetic hubris, called any future vitalist a crank. Things were not much different amongst analytic philosophers who, more concerned with clarity than precision, saw in Bergson’s works hardly more than poetry and mysticism. In fact, ‘vitalism’ became a one-word argument against itself (just utter it and it would count as disproved). And yet, ironically, vitalism refused to die. Half a century ago, Gilles Deleuze wrote a seminal interpretation of Bergson’s philosophy. After providing a concrete articulation of Bergson’s method of intuition, Deleuze studied the progression of Bergson’s concepts of duration, memory, and the élan, and paired them with his own concepts of multiplicity, the virtual and differentiation. Now, in a lucid and crisp book, Craig Lundy unpacks (for the first time) Deleuze’s Bergsonism. Not only does the book afford a better grasp of Bergson’s genius, but it also allows us to trace the origin of some key notions in Deleuze’s philosophy. Moreover, Lundy’s effort is particularly opportune in the context of the current revival of Bergson’s thought. In a time when it is becoming increasingly strenuous to cash the promissory notes of scientific materialism, reductionism and mechanicism, Lundy’s Deleuze’s Bergsonism represents an invaluable opportunity to better understand the philosopher of time and life par excellence.
Venous leg ulcer healing time is increased with each subsequent bacterial strain identified in the ulcer. A retrospective study
Authors: Kruszewska Karolina , Wesolowska-Gorniak Katarzyna , Czarkowska-Paczek Bozena
Published: October 2020

Objective

The aim of the study was to analyze bacterial flora in venous leg ulcers, empiric and targeted antibiotic therapy, and factors influencing healing time.

Materials and methods

Data from 30 patients with venous leg ulcers were retrospectively analyzed. Collected data included: sociodemographic data, wounds information, number of comorbidities, results of the microbiological examination, and empiric and targeted antibiotic therapy. To compare the empiric and targeted treatment in terms of their compatibility, the group of patients was divided into the four subgroups: NEA (no empiric antibiotics), NA (no antibiotics), ETA+ (compatibility of empiric and targeted antibiotic), ETA− (no compatibility of empiric and targeted antibiotic).

Results

The average ulcer healing time was 163.4 ± 97.1 (range 51.0 to 426.0) days and increased by 28 days with each additional bacterial strain in the ulcer (p = 0.041). Healing time did not differ between the four groups. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most frequent bacteria. Amoxicillinium/acidum clavulanicum was the most common empirical antibiotic and amoxicillinium/acidum clavulanicum, and levofloxacinum was the most common targeted antibiotic.

Conclusions

Venous leg ulcer healing time was prolonged with each subsequent bacterial strain in the ulcer, and it was independent from systemic antibiotic therapy.
Is electroacupuncture safe and effective for treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lai Xiuhua , Zhang Jiapeng , Chen Jing , Lai Cuiwei , Huang Chunping
Published: October 2020

Objective

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is prevalent worldwide, particularly among elderly women. Although electroacupuncture (EA) has been accepted by many patients and physicians in Asia, its efficacy for SUI has not been evaluated scientifically and systematically. We aimed to conduct a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of EA treatment for women with SUI.

Methods

We retrieved publications up to February 2019 from seven databases. Randomized controlled trials for women with SUI treated by EA were included. Therapeutic effect, 1-hour urine leakage and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form (ICIQ-SF) scores were the primary outcomes. The Cochrane Collection’s RevMan 5.3 software was used to pool data.

Results

The 15 included articles demonstrated that EA for SUI was effective (odds ratio [OR], confidence interval [CI] = 5.64, 4.19–7.59; Ι2 = 22%). ICIQ-SF scores increased (standard mean difference, CI = −0.48, −0.62 to −0.33; Ι2 = 32%) and 1-hour urine leakage decreased (OR, CI = −4.14, −4.96 to −3.33; Ι2 = 78%) in patients undergoing EA compared with those receiving sham EA, physical exercise or medication.

Conclusion

EA for women with SUI exhibited significant efficacy and safety for key outcomes.
Effects of a Mini Implant’s Size and Site on its Stability Using Resonance Frequency Analysis
Authors: Miglani Anil , C Cyan
Published: October 2020

Aim:

Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) have become the preferred method of skeletal anchorage in new-age orthodontics. Despite the remarkable success of mini implants in orthodontic treatment results, mini implants’ stability remains a vital issue that has to be resolved, due to the fact that failure rates are broadly variable and might be up to 25%.

Objectives:

To evaluate the effect of the diameter, implant bone surface contact, thickness of cortical bone, and implant insertion sites on mini implant stability using resonance frequency analysis (RFA).

Materials and Method:

CBCT of the dry skull was obtained. Buccal and lingual cortical plates of the maxillary and mandibular jaws were measured at 6 mm from the coronal part of the alveolar bone. After placing the implants, the stability was measured using resonance frequency analysis.

Results:

In the maxillary arch, Pearson correlation showed significant correlation of instability of the implant with the width of the buccal cortical plate and lingual cortical plate and implant contact surface area. In mandibular arch, Pearson correlation showed no significant effect of buccal/lingual cortical plate width, and implant surface contact area in primary stability of varied sized, mini implants.

Conclusion:

Statistically significant increases in the primary stability of mini implants with an increase in the implant bone contact surface area were found in the maxilla. In the mandible, no significant increase in mini implant stability was found with an increase in the implant contact surface area.
Archiving (In)justice: Building Archives and Imagining Community
Authors: Redwood Henry Alexander
Published: October 2020

This article explores the role that archives play in the constitution and governance of the international community. First, drawing on post-colonial scholarship, it develops a framework to explicate the link between archive and community, centring on questions of voice, identity and responsibility. It then examines how the archive can be analysed, pointing additionally to the importance of the archive’s materiality. Second, these ideas are explored through a reading of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda’s (ICTR) archive, which helped rebuild the international community in the wake of its failure to prevent the Rwandan genocide. By providing a detailed reading of the ICTR’s records, and drawing on the framework established in the first section, the article shows that the archive constructed a liberal, patriarchal and colonial understanding of the international community.
Evaluating the use of the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool in mental health services
Authors: Bugajska Kinga , Brooks Rob
Published: October 2020

Introduction

While the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool has undergone psychometric development and testing and is widely used in mental health practice, only a few small-scale studies to date have examined its use in clinical practice.

Method

A national survey was conducted with United Kingdom occupational therapists working in mental health settings to evaluate the use of the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool. The survey included the modified version of the Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use (USE) questionnaire and two open-ended questions. The latter were coded through inductive content analysis and all responses were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software.

Results

n=105 questionnaires were analysed. The Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool was found to be a useful tool, with most therapists scoring it favourably on the usefulness (74.7%), ease of use (76.1%), ease of learning (81.2%) and satisfaction (80.6%) subscales. It was praised as a valuable outcome measure, guiding interventions and providing a comprehensive overview of assessed individuals. Time consumption, inaccessible terminology and lack of sensitivity to change were indicated as possible downfalls.

Conclusion

Therapists valued the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool as an assessment tool, but more importance should be placed on training to overcome some of the limitations identified here. Also, its suitability to the setting in which it is used should be considered before implementation in practice.
Novel Hybrid Neural Network for Dense Depth Estimation using On-Board Monocular Images
Authors: Jia Shaocheng , Pei Xin , Yang Zi , Tian Shan , Yue Yun
Published: October 2020

Depth information from still 2D images plays an important role in automated driving, driving safety, and robotics. Monocular depth estimation is considered as an ill-posed and inherently ambiguous problem in general, and a tight issue is how to obtain global information efficiently since pure convolutional neural networks (CNNs) merely extract the local information. To end that, some previous works utilized conditional random fields (CRFs) to obtain the global information, but it is notoriously difficult to optimize. In this paper, a novel hybrid neural network is proposed to solve that, and concurrently a dense depth map is predicted from the monocular still image. Specifically: first, the deep residual network is utilized to obtain multi-scale local information and then feature correlation (FCL) blocks are used to correlate these features. Finally, the feature selection attention-based mechanism is adopted to fuse the multi-layer features, and the multi-layer recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are utilized with bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) unit as the output layer. Furthermore, a novel logarithm exponential average error (LEAE) is proposed to overcome over-weighted problem. The multi-scale feature correlation network (MFCN) is evaluated on large-scale KITTI benchmarks (LKT), which is a subset of KITTI raw dataset, and NYU depth v2. The experiments indicate that the proposed unified network outperforms existing methods. This method also updates the state-of-the-art performance on LKT datasets. Importantly, the depth estimation method can be widely used for collision risk assessment and avoidance in driving assistance systems or automated pilot systems to achieve safety in a more economical and convenient way.
Testing Curbside Management Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Ridesourcing Services on Traffic
Authors: Ranjbari Andisheh , Luis Machado-León JosÅ , Dalla Chiara Giacomo , MacKenzie Don , Goodchild Anne
Published: October 2020

Increased use of ridesourcing leads to increased pick-up and drop-off activity. This may slow traffic or cause delays as vehicles increase curb use, conduct pick-up and drop-off activity directly in the travel lane, or slow to find and connect with passengers. How should cities respond to this change in an effort to keep travel lanes operating smoothly and efficiently? This research evaluates two strategies in Seattle, WA, in an area where large numbers of workers commute using ridesourcing services: (i) a change of curb allocation from paid parking to passenger load zone (PLZ), and (ii) a geofencing approach by transportation network companies (TNCs) which directs their drivers and passengers to designated pick-up and drop-off locations on a block. An array of data on street and curb activity along three study blockfaces was collected, using video and sensor technology as well as in-person observations. Data were collected in three phases: (i) the baseline, (ii) after the new PLZs were added, expanding total PLZ curb length from 20 ft to 274 ft, and (iii) after geofencing was added to the expanded PLZs. The added PLZs were open to any passenger vehicle (not just TNC vehicles), weekdays 7:00–10:00 a.m. and 2:00–7:00 p.m. The results showed that the increased PLZ allocation and geofencing strategy reduced the number of pick-ups/drop-offs in the travel lane, reduced dwell times, increased curb use compliance, and increased TNC passenger satisfaction. The two strategies, however, had no observable effect on travel speeds or traffic safety in the selected study area.
Eco-Driving Algorithm with a Moving Bottleneck on a Single-Lane Road
Authors: Sun Pengyuan , Yang Dingtong , Jin Wen-Long
Published: October 2020

Eco-driving strategies have been applied to smooth traffic flow and reduce greenhouse gas emissions along with air pollution. In this paper, we propose an eco-driving strategy to reduce traffic oscillation and smooth trajectories for connected vehicles following a moving bottleneck on a single-lane road. The eco-driving strategy, which leverages vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, designs advisory speed limits for each following vehicle through a control algorithm. The algorithm is based on the prediction of the following vehicle trajectories dictated by a moving bottleneck. The following vehicle trajectories are obtained by analytically solving the moving bottleneck problem in which the moving bottleneck speeds vary over time. In addition, the bounded acceleration rate is imposed in car-following behavior. The benefits of this strategy are demonstrated by applying it to four scenarios with different bottleneck movements. By simulating the scenarios with Newell’s car-following model with bounded acceleration and VT-Micro emission model, we find that both speed fluctuations and emissions are reduced with the algorithm in the scenarios in which the moving bottleneck has a constant speed, accelerates, decelerates and stops-and-goes. The results indicate that the proposed eco-driving algorithm can smooth traffic flow behind a moving bottleneck.
Lessons Learned From the Effects of COVID-19 on the Training and Education Workflow of Radiology Residents—A Time for Reflection: Perspectives of Residency Program Directors and Residents in Canada
Authors: Warnica William , Moody Alan , Probyn Linda , Bartlett Eric , Singh Navneet , Pakkal Mini
Published: October 2020

Purpose:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to widespread changes in all health care settings including academic radiology departments. The purpose of this survey-based study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on radiology resident training and education workflow in Canada in terms of the nature, scale, and heterogeneity of the changes, preparedness and adaptation, and perceptions of the present and future of radiology training.

Methods:

A 30-question web-based survey was sent to 17 radiology residency program directors across Canada. A separate 32-question survey was sent to 460 residents currently enrolled in a radiology residency in Canada. These surveys were open for 3 weeks.

Results:

We received responses from 16 program directors and 80 residents (response rates 94.1% and 17.4%, respectively). Most respondents agreed that objectives were being met for knowledge and interpretation but less so for case volumes and technical skills. Less time was allotted for on-site activities (eg, readouts) with more time for off-site activities (eg, videoconferencing). Daytime rotations were at least partly cancelled. Most respondents felt these changes were met with enthusiasm by both faculty and residents. However, there were perceived challenges including lack of training on virtual platforms for delivery of teaching and decreased staff–resident interaction, with short- and long-term anxiety reported.

Conclusions:

The coronavirus disease 2019 has dramatically changed radiology resident training in Canada, with increased virtual learning at the expense of cancelled rotations and the resultant reduction in case volumes and staff–resident interaction. Although adopted with enthusiasm, these changes present substantial challenges and anxiety regarding the future of radiology resident education.
Long-term antibacterial activity of a composite coating on titanium for dental implant application
Authors: Cheng Yicheng , Mei Shenglin , Kong Xiangwei , Liu Xianghui , Gao Bo , Chen Bo , Wu Jiang
Published: October 2020

Dental implants are the most innovative and superior treatment modality for tooth replacement. However, titanium implants still suffer from insufficient antibacterial capability and peri-implant diseases remain one of the most common and intractable complications. To prevent peri-implant diseases, a composite coating containing a new antibacterial agent, (Z-)-4-bromo-5-(bromomethylene)-2(5H)-furanone (BBF) was fabricated on titanium. This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial activity of the composite coating against two common peri-implant pathogens ( Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans). The morphology of the composite coating showed that BBF-loaded poly(L-lactic acid) nanospheres were well-distributed in the pores of the microarc oxidation coating, and cross-linked with each other and the wall pores by gelatin. A release study indicated that the antibacterial coating could sustain the release of BBF for 60 d, with a slight initial burst release occurring during the first 4 h. The antibacterial rate of the composite coating for adhering bacteria was the highest (over 97%) after 1 d and over 90% throughout a 30-day incubation period. The total fluorescence intensity of the composite coating was the lowest, and the vast majority of the fluorescence was red (dead bacteria). Moreover, real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that the relative gene expression of the adherent bacteria on the composite coating was down-regulated. It was therefore concluded that the composite coating fabricated on titanium, which showed excellent and relatively long-term antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, is a potential and promising strategy to be applied on dental implants for the prevention of peri-implant diseases.
Combating COVID-19 Together: China’s Collaborative Response and the Role of Business Associations
Authors: Zhang Zhibin , Shen Yongdong , Yu Jianxing
Published: October 2020

Drawing on data from Zhejiang Province, this study explores China’s collaborative response to COVID-19 in which business associations played a critical role. Consistent with existing literature on cross-sector collaboration and nonprofit contributions in extreme events, the preliminary findings of this study carry significant implications for future research to advance new knowledge. Specifically, two important next steps of future research that hold considerable promise—examining the overwhelming impact of the institutional environment on collaboration and accounting for the complex mechanisms in which multiple components of collaboration create outcomes through a configurational approach—emerged from this study. In addition, the practical implications of these findings are highlighted.
Advanced hybrid materials from epoxy, oxidized UHMWPE fibers and silane surface modified silicon nitride nanoparticles
Authors: Belgacemi Raouf , Derradji Mehdi , Trache Djalal , Zegaoui Abdeldjalil , Mehelli Oussama , Tarchoun Ahmed Fouzi
Published: October 2020

Aiming the development of highly performant polymer-based hybrid materials, the typical bisphenol-A based epoxy resin was reinforced with oxidized UHMWPE fibers and various amounts of silane surface modified silicon nitride (Si3N4) nanoparticles. The reinforcing phases underwent optimized surface modifications to create a fully connected network for an improved stress transfer between the constituents. The efficiency of the grafting methodology was confirmed by vibrational and morphological analyses. Meanwhile, the effects of the adopted modifications techniques on the mechanical properties were thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, static and dynamic mechanical investigations along with impact tests were conducted to study the effects of various amounts of Si3N4 nanoparticles on the overall performances of the epoxy/UHMWPE composite. The obtained results confirmed the great benefits from creating a fully connected hybrid network. The as such developed hybrids can be seen as promising materials for the intended use.
Screw theory based method to formulate local Jacobian’ magnitude estimator contours for 6 DoF robots
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Khatait Jitendra Prasad
Published: October 2020

Singularity prediction of Jacobian is inherently related to the design of any manipulator. Optimization of Jacobian is known to improve the joint rates and joint torques for the same set of end-effector twists and wrenches. Any mathematical entity which is an estimator of Jacobian can be used as a manifestation of the stated two schemes. It is required that online computation of Jacobian be implemented so that singular poses can be avoided and performance is maximized. We present an algorithm that relates to the determinant of the Jacobian for robotic manipulators. The algorithm developed is quicker to compute, and a strategy is developed to synthesize the local estimator contour. The contours change dynamically, henceforth optimal motor torques (in case of presence of interaction fields or system requiring force control) and optimal joint rates can be defined, depending on the control algorithm. The algorithm developed is independent of the structure of the matrix and is generalized to any six DoF manipulator structure used.
High temperature molten salt corrosion investigations on P22/P91 power plant dissimilar welds
Authors: Mahajan Sumit , Chhibber Rahul
Published: October 2020

This article investigates the hot corrosion behavior of P22/P91 dissimilar welds used in power plant applications. The hot corrosion behavior of P22/P91 dissimilar welds was observed under the exposure of molten salts Na2SO4 + 60% V2O5 (SM1) and Na2SO4 + 50% NaCl (SM2) at the temperature of 650°C and 750°C. The welds were fabricated by shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process using the laboratory developed electrode. This study is an attempt to develop welding electrodes which provide better mechanical and hot corrosion properties as compared to the commercially available electrodes for joining P22/P91 alloys. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study the oxidation kinetics. XRD, SEM/EDS characterization has been performed to analyze the oxide scale morphology. Results obtained indicate that the welds exposed to SM2 gain more weight as compared to that of SM1. A significant gain in weight was observed with an increase in the exposure temperature. Dissimilar welds fabricated using laboratory-made electrodes (CM1, CM2) show enhanced corrosion resistance in all the exposed environments.
Folk psychology as a causal language
Authors: Kalis Annemarie , Borsboom Denny
Published: October 2020

According to Oude Maatman (2020), our recent suggestion (Borsboom et al., 2019) that symptom networks are irreducible because they rely on folk psychological descriptions, threatens to undermine the main achievements of the network approach. In this article, we take up Oude Maatman’s challenge and develop an argument showing in what sense folk psychological concepts describe features of reality, and what it means to say that folk psychology is a causal language.
Pathological manifestation of autoimmune myocarditis is detected prior to glomerulonephritis in a murine model of lupus nephritis
Authors: Young Nicholas A , Jablonski Kyle , Schwarz Emmy , Okafor Ifeoma , Hampton Jeffrey , Valiente Giancarlo R , Henry Caitlin , Harb Peter , Barger Jessica , Bratasz Anna , Kalyanasundaram Anuradha , Ardoin Stacy P , Jarjour Wael N
Published: October 2020

Objective

Since enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) signals have been associated with lupus disease activity in humans prior to renal failure and novel, cardiac-focused therapeutic strategies could be investigated with an associated animal model, autoimmune myocarditis was characterized in murine lupus nephritis (NZM2410).

Methods

Weekly blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and weights were recorded. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiogram. Myocardial edema was measured with quantitative T2 cMRI mapping. Endpoint serum and cardiac tissue were collected for histopathological analysis and cytokine measurements.

Results

Despite showing no signs of significant renal disease, mice displayed evidence of myocarditis and fibrosis histologically at 30–35 weeks. Moreover, T2 cMRI mapping displayed robust signals and analysis of sagittal heart sections showed significant myocardium thickening. Cytokine expression levels of IL-2, IL-10, TNF-α, CXCL1, and IL-6 were significantly enhanced in serum. Echocardiograms demonstrated significantly increased ventricular diameters and reduced ejection fractions, while immunohistochemical staining identified CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and IL-17 in cardiac infiltrates. Human lupus cardiac tissue showed similar histopathology with enhanced infiltrates by H&E, fibrosis, and CD4+ detection.

Conclusions

Histopathology, functional abnormalities, and enhanced cMRI signals indicative of myocarditis are detected in NZM2410 mice without glomerulonephritis, which supports the primary pathological role of autoimmune-mediated, cardiac-targeted inflammation in lupus.
It is possible to develop the professional values of nurses
Authors: Kaya Ayla , Dalgiç Ayşegül Işler
Published: October 2020

Background:

The awareness and development of professional values affect the quality of nursing care. This study is the first interventional study conducted to develop the professional values of nurses in a clinical setting.

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a structured Professional Values Development Programme on the development of the professional values of nurses.

Research design:

This study was a non-randomised controlled trial that measured with pre-test and post-test. Data were collected by using an Individual Identification Form and the Nurses’ Professional Values Scale–Revised. The intervention group was involved in a 12-week programme. Participants in the control group received the programme after all data had been collected. Data collection for both groups was conducted at baseline and a 12-week follow-up. Expert opinions were evaluated by the Kendall Coefficient of Correlation test. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used to evaluate group differences. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov .

Participants and research context:

This study was conducted with 80 nurses (intervention group = 40, control group = 40). This study was conducted in paediatric clinics in two university hospitals in Turkey.

Ethical considerations:

In order to conduct this study, ethics committee approval was obtained. This study was performed according to the Helsinki Declaration. Participants were informed verbally and in writing, and informed consent was obtained by giving explanations.

indings

In the analysis, the two groups were similar in demographic variables. The only significant difference between the groups was between weekly working hours. Participants in the intervention group reported statistically significantly higher levels of professional values ( p = 0.001) than those in the control group.

Discussions and conclusions:

This study provides evidence of the positive effectiveness of the Professional Values Development Programme in the development of professional values of clinical nurses. It also demonstrated the feasibility of implementing the programme with clinical nurses.
Single-Institute Clinical Experiences Using Whole-Field Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB) Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) and Sequential IMRT in Postoperative Patients With Oral Cavity Cancer (OCC)
Authors: Hsieh Chen-Hsi , Shueng Pei-Wei , Wang Li-Ying , Liao Li-Jen , Lo Wu-Chia , Yeh Hsin-Pei , Chou Hsiu-Ling , Wu Le-Jung
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to review clinical experiences using whole-field simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and sequential IMRT in postoperative patients with oral cavity cancer (OCC). From November 2006 to December 2014, a total of 182 postoperative patients with OCC who underwent either SIB-IMRT (n = 63) or sequential IMRT (n = 119) were enrolled retrospectively and matched randomly according to multiple risk factors by a computer. The differences were well balanced after patient matching ( P = .38). The median follow-up time was 65 months. For patients treated with the SIB technique and the sequential technique, the respective mortality rates were 36.8% and 20.0% ( P = .04). The primary recurrence rates were 26.3% and 10.0% ( P = .02), respectively. The respective marginal failure rates were 26.7% and 16.7%. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients who received the SIB technique had a 2.74 times higher risk of death than those who received the sequential technique (95% confidence interval = 1.10-6.79, P = .03). Sequential IMRT provided a significantly lower dose to the esophagus (5.2 Gy, P = .02) and trachea (4.6 Gy, P = .03) than SIB-IMRT. For patients with locally advanced OCC, postoperative sequential IMRT may overcome an unpredictable geographic miss, potentially with a lower marginal failure rate in the primary area. Patients treated by sequential IMRT show equal overall survival benefits to those treated by SIB-IMRT and a lower mortality rate than those treated by SIB-IMRT. Additionally, a reduced dose to the esophagus and trachea compared to sequential IMRT was noted.
Control flow strategy in a receiver coil for nuclear magnetic resonance for imaging
Authors: Barbaraci Gabriele
Published: October 2020

A mathematical discussion is introduced to describe the receiver coil characterizing a nuclear magnetic resonance for imaging, starting from a general shape of the conductor. A set of different inductance calculations have been introduced, varying the shape of the conductor. The inductance calculation led to a general expression of the magnetic field of a single coil characterized by a rectangular shape. A dynamic model of the receiver coil has been developed to represent the natural frequencies that characterize the operational bandwidth. A nonstationary control strategy is implemented to make a real time changing of the operational bandwidth. The frequency response of the coil generates the necessary conditional expression to let the peak of resonance move to a desired value of frequency.
Virtual semi-active damping learning control for robot manipulators interacting with unknown environment
Authors: Wang Wenrui , Li Ang , Li Qinwen , Gu Jinlin , Huo Qi , Zhu Mingchao , Li Yanhui , Chu Hairong
Published: October 2020

Position controllers are used for free motion, whereas force controllers are used for constrained motion of robotic manipulators. The hybrid controller switches between position and force control modes depending on whether the manipulator is in contact with the environment. To improve production efficiency, the velocity of contact between the manipulator and environment is not set to zero. However, the high impact force due to the nonzero contact velocity might damage the environment surface or manipulators. In this article, we propose a virtual semi-active damping learning method to suppress force overshoot without decreasing the contact velocity. Virtual semi-active damping is adjusted according to the manipulator position in force control. The limited-memory BFGS method is used to obtain the ideal impedance model for the unknown environment. By minimizing the defined cost function, we get the desired interaction performance. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by conducting simulations and experiments.
Understanding Customers’ Reactions to Allegations of Corporate Environmental Irresponsibility
Authors: Krishna Arunima , Kim Soojin
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine issue- and organization-specific factors that may influence customers’ reactions to allegations of environmental irresponsibility. This study focused on the idea of brand identity fusion to examine how it may act as a figurative shield against the negative cognitive and behavioral impacts of misconduct allegations. To do so, online surveys were conducted among Australian citizens in October 2018. Brand identity fusion lowered customers’ perceptions of perceived moral inequity and triggered rewarding behavioral intentions despite the allegations. Situational motivation about environmental issues was found to positively affect boycotting and lower buycotting intentions as well as perceived moral inequity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
A state-based peridynamic formulation for functionally graded Kirchhoff plates
Authors: Yang Zhenghao , Oterkus Erkan , Oterkus Selda
Published: October 2020

Functionally graded materials are a potential alternative to traditional fibre-reinforced composite materials as they have continuously varying material properties which do not cause stress concentrations. In this study, a state-based peridynamic model is presented for functionally graded Kirchhoff plates. Equations of motion of the new formulation are obtained using the Euler–Lagrange equation and Taylor’s expansion. The formulation is verified by considering several benchmark problems including a clamped plate subjected to transverse loading and a simply supported plate subjected to transverse loading and inclined loading. The material properties are chosen such that Young’s modulus is assumed to be varied linearly through the thickness direction and Poisson’s ratio is constant. Peridynamic results are compared against finite element analysis results, and a very good agreement is obtained between the two approaches.
Dual fat boundary method: the fat boundary method in elasticity with an extension of the application scope
Authors: Liu Kui , Zhao Ang , Hu Zhendong
Published: October 2020

The fat boundary method (FBM) is a fictitious domain method, proposed to solve Poisson problems in a domain with small perforations. It can achieve higher accuracy around holes, which makes it very suitable to solve elasticity problems because stress concentrations often appear around holes. However, there are some strict restrictions of the FBM limiting the wide range of applications. For example, the original FBM deals with perforated rectangular domain with only Dirichlet boundary conditions. Furthermore, because the global domain is extended to the holes, analytical solutions in holes corresponding to the Dirichlet boundary conditions around holes are required. This limits both the boundary conditions around holes and the shape of holes, because for arbitrary holes it is difficult to get the analytical solutions. This article makes an attempt to break these limitations and apply the FBM to elasticity. Firstly, we review the FBM and introduce Neumann boundary conditions to the rectangular domain. A mathematical proof of the conditional convergence of the algorithm is presented. Furthermore, the FBM is compared with the Lagrange multiplier method to clarify that the FBM is one kind of weak imposition method. Then we apply the FBM to linear elasticity and the dual fat boundary method is proposed to solve problems without analytical solutions in holes. Some numerical examples are presented to verify the method proposed here.
Out-of-the-box versus in-house tools: how are they affecting data journalism in Australia?
Authors: de-Lima-Santos Mathias-Felipe , Schapals Aljosha Karim , Bruns Axel
Published: October 2020

The proliferation of data journalism has enabled newsrooms to deploy technologies for both mundane and more sophisticated workplace tasks. To bypass long-term investment in developing data skills, out-of-the-box software solutions are commonly used. Newsrooms today are partially dependent on third-party platforms to build interactive and visual stories – but the business models of platforms are predisposed to changes, frequently inducing losses of stories. This article combines in-depth interviews and an ancillary survey to study the status quo and identify future challenges in embracing out-of-the-box and in-house tools, and their impact on Australian data journalism. Results indicate a dichotomy between commercial and public service media organisations. Commercial outlets are heavily reliant on out-of-the-box solutions to develop stories, due to a lack of skillsets and a shortage of skilled labour. By contrast, public service media are developing their own in-house solutions, which reflects their desire for the continuous digital preservation of data stories despite the challenges identified.
Effect of mood and anxiety disorders on health care utilization in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Marrie Ruth Ann , Walld Randy , Bolton James M , Sareen Jitender , Patten Scott B , Singer Alexander , Lix Lisa M , Hitchon Carol A , El-Gabalawy Renée , Katz Alan , Fisk John D , Marriott James J , Bernstein Charles N ,   for the CIHR Team in Defining the Burden and Managing the Effects of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Chronic Immunoinflammatory Disease
Published: October 2020

Background:

Little is known about the effects of changes in the presence or absence of psychiatric disorders on health care utilization in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective:

To evaluate the association between “active” mood and anxiety disorders (MAD) and health care utilization in MS.

Methods:

Using administrative data from Manitoba, Canada, we identified 4748 persons with MS and 24,154 persons without MS matched on sex, birth year, and region. Using multivariable general linear models, we evaluated the within-person and between-person effects of any “active” MAD on annual physician visits, hospital days, and number of drug classes dispensed in the following year.

Results:

Annually, the MS cohort had an additional two physician visits, two drug classes, and nearly two more hospital days versus the matched cohort. Individuals with any MAD had more physician visits, had hospital days, and used more drug classes than individuals without a MAD. Within individuals, having an “active” MAD was associated with more utilization for all outcomes than not having an “active” MAD, but the magnitude of this effect was much smaller for visits and drugs than the between-person effect.

Conclusion:

Within individuals with MS, changes in MAD activity are associated with changes in health services use.
Using intervention mapping in motivational interviewing training to improve ART uptake in Gauteng, South Africa
Authors: Mokhele Idah , Sineke Tembeka , Vujovic Marnie , Fox Matthew P , Ruiter Robert AC , Onoya Dorina
Published: October 2020

In South Africa, lay HIV counsellors are at the forefront of many HIV-related behavioural interventions. However, they have limited formal counselling training and little ongoing in-service support, leading to considerable variability in approaches to counselling. We describe the use of Intervention Mapping to develop a motivational interviewing counselling training and support program, titled “Thusa-Thuso - helping you help”, for lay HIV counsellors practising in primary health care clinics in South Africa. The program is contextually relevant, locally-produced, scalable, and is designed to impart sustained motivational interviewing counselling skills in lay HIV counsellors for improved antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake in the universal-test-and-treat era.