bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Examination of the Sport Commitment Model for Athletes With Physical Disabilities
Authors: Yao Andy Wei-Ru , Shapiro Deborah R.
Published: April 2024

Sport commitment describes a psychological attachment to a sport that influences one’s desire or resolve to continue involvement in it. Studying antecedents believed to influence long term commitment to sport among athletes with a disability will help ensure that participants gain those psychosocial and health outcomes from sport participation that benefit quality of life. Our purposes in this study were: (i) to examine the Sport Commitment Model (SCM) in terms of the magnitude of the contribution of antecedent factors (i.e., enjoyment, personal investment, involvement opportunities, social constraints, involvement alternatives) to sport commitment of athletes with disabilities; and (ii) to examine the model structure (i.e., original SCM, mediation, and direct/indirect model) that best reflects an understanding of the sport commitment antecedents for these athletes. A total of 157 adult athletes ( M age = 34.87, SD = 11.78) with physical disabilities from both team and individual sports across the United States, Europe, and Asia completed the Sport Commitment Questionnaire. Data analyses indicated that sport involvement opportunities, followed by personal investment, were the strongest predictors of these athletes’ sport commitments (R2 = .66). Based on the principle of parsimony, the original structural equation model (χ2 (215) = 384.95; RMSEA = .07; CFI = .95; SRMR = .06) was deemed better for understanding the mechanism of sport commitment than the mediation or direct/indirect models. We address implications of applying the SCM to athletes with disabilities, and we offer suggestions for future research.
Effect of enhanced quenching on properties of melt spun multifilament poly[3-hydroxybutyrate] yarns
Authors: Akdag Ozkan Hatice Aybige , Hockenberger Aslı , Cam Serdar Murat , Çelen Onur , Uludoğan Cansu
Published: April 2024

Bacterial poly-3-hydroxybutyrate is a thermoplastic biopolyester that is considered a potential alternative to traditional fossil-based plastics due to its rapid biodegradation performance in both soil and marine environments and its compostability. Due to problems in thermal and crystallization behaviors of the bacterial poly-3-hydroxybutyrate polymer, an improvement has been made in the cooling channel of the conventional fiber spinning process. Using an enhanced quench channel, named as a half tube on a conventional melt spinning line, melt spinning of the bacterial poly-3-hydroxybutyrate multifilament fibers is successfully carried out. The maximum crystallization temperature of polymers was taken into account while adjusting the quenching process. The study examined the impact of varying drawing ratios and the designed quenching apparatus on the thermal (differential scanning calorimetry), mechanical (tensile and drawing force tests), morphological, and crystal structure characteristics of fibers. The quenching apparatus has visibly created a homogeneous melt flow under the spinnerets. While it has a negative impact on fiber cross-sectional formation, raising the draw ratio greatly enhances mechanical properties.
Child-friendly urban practices as emergent place-based neoliberal subjectivation?
Authors: Perez-del-Pulgar Carmen , Anguelovski Isabelle , Connolly James JT
Published: April 2024

As city-level decisionmakers generate urban policies and spatial interventions aimed at enhancing children’s environments and increasing their health, wellbeing and participation in urban life, they also impact the types of citizens that cities produce. Yet, despite the increasing ubiquity of city plans targeting the creation of child-friendly environments, child-centred transformations within the urban built fabric have not been a major analytical theme compared to other economic, spatial and welfare aspects of city restructuring in the context of neoliberal urbanisation. In light of this need for greater empirical and theoretical exploration of child-centred urbanism, we compare and contrast how plans reorganise children’s urban social space across different neoliberalising contexts. Drawing on empirical research conducted in Amsterdam, Vienna and Bristol in 2019, including 46 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved in child-friendly planning, we contribute to the understanding of how place-based subjectivation processes operate within these plans. We argue that child-friendly urban plans are instrumental in the process of creating subjects that have internalised the norms of neoliberal urbanisation.
Community Contexts Predicting Fatal Police Shootings of Youth, 2014–2018
Authors: Rafail Patrick
Published: April 2024

Between 2014 and 2018, at least 974 youth were fatally shot by the police. Racial disparities in fatal police shootings (FPS) have been well-established in existing research, but less attention has been paid to patterns in fatal police encounters with youth. This study uses a multisource and externally validated research design to track cases of FPS for individuals aged between 10 and 24. Cases were geocoded to the county-level and linked to multiple variables capturing social, demographic, and policing contexts. The results point to substantial racial disparities in FPS. Black youth are killed at nearly double the rate of white youth. Counties with heightened risks to the physical safety of law enforcement have more FPS. Shootings are also more frequent for Black youth in racially segregated communities.
a spiritually orientated (self-)care approach to human rights
Authors: Radačić Ivana
Published: April 2024

In recent years, there have been significant challenges to women’s rights. In addition to external attacks, internal challenges include a dichotomous, oppositional and gendered framework of human rights, as well as the problem of burnout and trauma in the field. Feminists have been addressing these problems by offering a reconceptualisation of rights, developing the concept of spiritual activism, emphasising the power of erotics and pleasure in activism, as well as incorporating self- and collective-care practices. Taking into account feminist contributions and work that still needs to be done, as well as my own personal experiences in the fields of human rights, self-development and spirituality, in this article I engage with the concept of care and spirituality to propose changes in the conceptualisation and practices of human rights, with a view to developing a feminist spiritually orientated (self-)care approach to human rights.
Dynamic event-triggered control of large-scale nonlinear systems with sensor uncertainty
Authors: Feng Minghui , Zhang Xianfu , Duan Zhiyu , Qi Yanan
Published: April 2024

In this article, the dynamic event-triggered control problem is investigated for a class of large-scale nonlinear systems subject to sensor uncertainty. The unknown nonlinearities involved in each subsystem are assumed to be bounded by time-varying continuous functions multiplied by unknown constants and unmeasured states. To estimate the unmeasured states of each subsystem, a time-varying high-gain observer is constructed. Then, a dynamic event-triggered mechanism is proposed by introducing an internal dynamic variable in triggering function. Combined with the dual-domination approach, a dynamic event-triggered output feedback controller is developed for each subsystem. Subsequently, it is proved the convergence of all states is ensured based on the Lyapunov theory and the Zeno behavior can be avoided. Eventually, an example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic event-triggered control scheme.
Auditory Event-related Potentials for Word Stimuli in Kannada Language Among Native Kannada Speakers with Dementia
Authors: Srividya A. , Yamini BK  , Sivakumar Palanimuthu Thangaraju
Published: April 2024

Background:

The P300 is a positive auditory event-related potential appearing around 300 msec post-oddball stimulus onset. Tone and monosyllabic stimuli have been widely used in P300 research, providing valuable insights into auditory perception, phoneme discrimination, language processing, and other cognitive processes. Bi-syllabic minimal pairs may be more challenging for some individuals because they require processing and discrimination of more complex phonemic structures. The aim of the study was to elicit and analyze the auditory event-related potentials for bi-syllabic word stimuli in the Kannada language among individuals with dementia.

Method:

The prospective study was conducted at the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology. Ten native Kannada language speakers (five male; and five female) diagnosed with dementia, aged 55–70 years, were the participants. The naturally produced and recorded CVCV (Consonant vowel consonant vowel) tokens (/ko:ti/ and /ko:thi/ pair; /a: me/ and /a:ne pair) in Kannada were used in the auditory oddball paradigm.

Results:

The waveforms with positive peak for word (PPW) with clear morphology were used to obtain the latency and amplitude. Mean and Standard deviation (SD) value for the latency of the PPW was 545 ± 38 msec and the amplitude value of PPW was 2.5 ± 1.5 µV.

Conclusion:

The present study showed that when lengthier speech stimulus duration was used, the latency value of auditory event-related potential was higher. The study also showed that PPW is a reliable peak that could be used in the clinical population.
‘The Way We Were’: Everyday Life in Fascist Italy and Lessons of Alltagsgeschichte
Authors: Arthurs Joshua , Ferris Kate
Published: April 2024

This article shows the benefits to be drawn by applying to Fascist Italy an approach that has emerged within the German literature on Nazism within the field of Alltagsgeschichte or the history of everyday life. That approach has the potential to counter a nostalgic, rose-tinted and depoliticized view of life under Fascism, which has arisen in Italian public discourse since the crisis of anti-Fascism in the 1990s. Through a series of vignettes, the authors illustrate how ‘ordinary’ Italians encountered the Fascist state within the spaces of daily life.
Nazi Elite-School Pupils as Youth Ambassadors: Between Fascist Italy and the Third Reich
Authors: Roche Helen
Published: April 2024

Focused on transnational exchanges, this article examines a series of trips to Fascist Italy that were undertaken by pupils of Nazi elite schools in their role as youth ambassadors of the Third Reich. As a form of cultural diplomacy that continued during the Second World War, these trips were part of Fascist and Nazi efforts to foster a new cultural order. However, although intended to strengthen ties between the two regimes, the trips also laid bare national differences.
Printing and Bookselling in Rodez, 1624–1820: An Essay in Socio-Cultural History
Authors: Campbell Peter R.
Published: April 2024

This article focuses on the history of the Rodez printing firm in provincial France from 1624 to 1820 (although the firm ran until 1984). In contrast to the world of clandestine printing and bookselling, very little is known about the lives of ordinary sedentary printers in ancien-régime France. The paper is organized in three parts and considers the following issues. How did the firm operate, who worked in it, what training was required, and what was produced? How did this change over time? Secondly, this was a family firm, so we may ask how was it kept in the family, and how did the family fare as it made a living out of printing? Here we have an insight into the history of an artisan family over nearly 200 years, the ascension of an artisanal family to the level of respectable bourgeoisie. The third area considered is the possible contribution to understanding the cultural world of a provincial town. The firm printed and sold books, and account books and order books give us further information, though of a fragmentary nature. From this it is possible to raise questions about recent research on the starkly contrasting world of Enlightenment bestsellers.
Nazi Constitutional Designs: The State Secretaries’ Meetings and the Annexation of East Central Europe
Authors: O’Byrne Darren
Published: April 2024

This article examines the state secretaries’ meetings as an instrument of government in Nazi Germany. They are mostly known as the forum at which the infamous Wannsee Conference took place, but here the 20 January 1942 meeting will be situated in a context previously ignored by historians by showing that such gatherings were an increasingly regular occurrence during the ‘Third Reich’, and that a range of policy issues were discussed there – not just mass murder. As such, it will shed new light on how the ‘Hitler state’ functioned at this level by showing that Wannsee was not entirely extraordinary, the format having become established practice long before 1942. Similarly, the article will also show that the jurisdictional conflicts that played out at Wannsee were equally common, with participants generally jockeying for influence and advancing claims to departmental authority. Indeed, although they effectively replaced cabinet meetings, which were formally banned by Hitler in 1938, the state secretaries’ meetings did little to salvage collegial government. To illustrate this, a series of meetings called to coordinate the government's response to a particular issue will be examined – the annexation of ‘Greater German’ territories in Austria, the Sudetenland and Poland. As will be shown throughout, very little was achieved by way of coordination, with the state secretaries only advancing those constitutional designs that served their ministries’ claims to power.
Judicializing Public Interests: Administrative Performance Under the Shadow of Judicial Review
Authors: Chen Tianhao , Sheng Yu , Xu Wei , Yu Xiaohong
Published: April 2024

Do active judicial reviews bring about better administrative performance? Most scholars argue that active judicial review creates animosity between the judiciary and administration, leading to bad administrative performance. Others advocate that the relationship is not so much hostile as it is constructive. However, the actual impact of and mechanisms enabling such a constructive relationship remain unclear. Employing an analysis of Public Interest Litigation against the Administration ( PILA) in environmental protection cases in China, we present a theory of “bargaining in the shadow of judicial review.” The threat of imminent judicial review forces the administration to negotiate with the prosecutor and enhance its performance in exchange for dropping charges. Additionally, the effect of PILA is stronger in regions with more public environmental concern and weaker in regions where the higher-level public administration pays greater attention to environmental protection. Furthermore, we identify the impact of PILA on local governments’ enforcement efforts and its legitimacy. The present study sheds new light on the long-standing debate on managerialism versus legalism.
Does volumetric measurement of ADC values achieve higher diagnostic performance in bladder cancer MRI?
Authors: Elshewy Nesma Elsayed , Ramadan Adel Ali , Sameh Wael Mohamed , Eid Mohamed Emad-ElDeen , El Achy Samar , Ezz Eldin Omnia
Published: April 2024

Background

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value is an important part of bladder cancer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment and can predict the aggressive and invasive potentials. There is growing interest in whole tumor volume measurements.

Purpose

To investigate if the volumetric ADC measurement method will significantly exceed the diagnostic performance of the selected region of interest (ROI) method in everyday practice.

Material and Methods

A prospective evaluation was carried out of 50 patients with bladder cancer by two radiologists. The mean and the minimum ADC values were measured using both methods. The inter-reader agreement was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient. The ADC values were compared between different grades, states of muscle invasion, and lympho-vascular invasion (LVI); then, validity was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Areas under the curve (AUC) were then compared for the level of statistical significance.

Results

The inter-observer agreement was excellent for the ADC values using both methods. The volumetric measurement provides higher mean and lower minimum ADC values with statistically significant differences ( P <0.00001). The highest diagnostic accuracy for differentiating tumor grade and predicting muscle invasion was for the minimum ADC by a selected ROI. However, the differences between the achieved AUCs were of no statistical significance. None of the ADC values predicted LVI with statistical significance.

Conclusion

The selected ROI and volumetric measurement methods of mean and minimum ADC in bladder cancer yield different values, still having comparable diagnostic performance with accurate ROI sampling. The minimum ADC value by ROI is preferred in everyday clinical practice.
Association of body composition and survival in patients with locally advanced breast cancer: a historical cohort study
Authors: Pakdee Wisitsak , Laohawiriyakamol Teeranan , Tanutit Pramot , Laohawiriyakamol Supparerk , Liabsuetrakul Tippawan
Published: April 2024

Background

Altered body composition has been attributed to major health problems globally, particularly in patients with cancer. To date, there have not been sufficient indices for body compositions in predicting the survival of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).

Purpose

To assess the association between body composition and overall survival (OS) as well as disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with LABC.

Material and Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of patients with LABC diagnosed between 2010 and 2018. Body composition parameters, including skeletal muscle and adiposity parameters, were measured using computed tomography at the L3 vertebra using in-house software developed by MATLAB and freeware Python 3.6.13. The association between body composition and OS and DFS were analyzed using a log-rank test and multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression.

Results

Of 199 patients, 72 (36%) died during the follow-up period (range = 3.8–150.7 months). Median survival was 101 months. Low visceral-to-subcutaneous ratio ≤0.3 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51−4.37; aHR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.33−4.56), and high composite fat (aHR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.69−6.29; aHR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.11−4.3) were associated with lower OS and DFS. Positive lymph nodes ≥3, progesterone receptor negative, and total radiation dose >5000 cGy significantly decreased both OS and DFS. A history of previous treatment before body composition assessment and surgery had a protective effect on OS and DFS. No association of sarcopenia, body mass index, and adiposity areas with survival outcomes was observed.

Conclusion

Low visceral-to-subcutaneous ratio and high composite fat were independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS in patients with LABC. However, other body composition parameters showed no effect on survival.
Clinical Significance Thresholds in Primary and Revision Latarjet Procedures With Comparable Outcome Achievements
Authors: Pasqualini Ignacio , Tanoira Ignacio , Hurley Eoghan T. , Ranalletta Maximiliano , Rossi Luciano Andrés
Published: April 2024

Background:

Given the variability across populations and settings, defining the MCID and the PASS for the Rowe and ASOSS scores and patients undergoing primary and revision Latarjet it is essential to have accurate benchmarks relevant to these groups when interpreting clinical results.

Purpose:

To determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) thresholds for the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain during sports, Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System (ASOSS), and Rowe scores after primary and revision Latarjet procedures for treatment of shoulder instability.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Between January 2018 and January 2020, a retrospective review of 149 patients undergoing primary Latarjet (n = 82) and revision Latarjet (n = 67) to treat shoulder instability was performed in a single institution. Patient-reported outcome measures were collected preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. The delta was defined as the change between the pre- and postoperative scores. Distribution-based and anchored-based approaches were used to estimate the MCID and the PASS, respectively. The optimal cutoff point and the percentage of patients achieving those thresholds were also calculated.

Results:

The distribution-based MCIDs after primary Latarjet were 1.1, 7.5, and 9.6 for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The rates of patients who achieved the MCID thresholds were 93.9%, 98.7%, and 100% for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The PASS thresholds after primary Latarjet were ≤1, ≥90, and ≥85 for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The percentages of patients who achieved PASS thresholds were 82.9%, 89%, and 86.5% for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The distribution-based MCIDs after revision Latarjet were 0.6, 6.2, and 3.4 for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The rates of patients who achieved MCID thresholds were 89.3%, 100%, and 100% for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The PASS thresholds were ≤3, ≥87, and ≥86 after revision Latarjet for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores, respectively. The rates of patients who achieved the PASS thresholds were 88%, 88%, and 91% for the VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS, respectively.

Conclusion:

This study identified useful values for the MCID and PASS thresholds in VAS, Rowe, and ASOSS scores after primary and revision Latarjet procedures for treating shoulder instability. Most patients achieved MCID and PASS benchmarks, indicating successful primary and revision Latarjet procedure outcomes. These metrics can serve as valuable parameters when analyzing parameters in future studies and have the potential to enhance patient care by optimizing treatment strategies and surgical decision making.
Psychosocial Sequalae of Sexual Assault in a Sample of Partnered Adults Experiencing Alcohol Use Disorder and Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Fleming CJ Eubanks , Giff Sarah T. , Forkus Shannon R. , Flanagan Julianne C.
Published: April 2024

Research has shown that experiencing a sexual assault results in significant and lasting effects in many psychosocial domains. However, most studies on the impact of sexual assault examine university samples or the immediate aftermath of the assault, not taking into account the longer-term complexities and contexts of life for many victims. The current study seeks to evaluate the role of lifetime sexual assault history on several psychosocial outcomes in adults who are in intimate relationships that have included both intimate partner violence (IPV) and alcohol use disorder. The study included 100 adult romantic couples who were part of a larger project addressing violence and alcohol use. A majority of participants were Caucasian (74.3%) and female (53%). Participants reported on lifetime sexual assault history, depression, perceived stress, maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation, and perceived intimate relationship functioning. Multilevel analyses controlled for couple interdependence as well as current levels of alcohol use and IPV. Results indicated that the presence/absence of sexual assault was only related to perceived life stress ( p = .016), while the total number of lifetime assault experiences was related to depression symptoms ( p  < .001), perceived life stress ( p = .052), maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation ( p = .048), and dyadic adjustment ( p = .003). These findings underscore the importance of investigating sexual assault outcomes in complex populations, as well as the need for more thorough and regular assessment of sexual assault history. Focusing on empowerment and recovery for sexual assault victims of any age is an important tool to prevent the detrimental outcomes that particularly accompany multiple victimizations.
‘Critical Self-Care’: Reimagining Possibilities of Self-Care as Everyday Resistance in the Context of the Neoliberal University
Authors: Riccitelli Joanna
Published: April 2024

With the increasing neoliberalization of universities in the United States, current debates question the radical potential of self-care in higher education. Engaging with the work of Audre Lorde and James C. Scott, I argue how discounting self-care as insignificant or co-opted masks the possibilities for everyday forms of resistance through self-care. Broadening beyond a focus on simplistic binaries—individual versus collective, co-opted versus radical—this article offers a different orientation toward self-care—one that I call critical self-care—which recognizes that we can be critical of co-optation by the university, while also understanding self-care as critical to our existence within the university. I develop this conceptualization of self-care in the context of the neoliberal university, by identifying three facets of critical self-care—disruption of the hegemonic academic culture of overwork, building alternative ways of existing within the university, and allowing for the self-care of others—each of which reveals how self-care practices hold the potential for resistance and change to gendered and racialized norms of the institution, even in quiet or informal ways.
Longitudinal Patterns of Multimorbidity in Gulf War Era Veterans With and Without Gulf War Illness
Authors: Thompson Andrew D. , Petry Sarah E. , Hauser Elizabeth R. , Boyle Stephen H. , Pathak Gita A. , Upchurch Julie , Press Ashlyn , Johnson Melissa G. , Sims Kellie J. , Williams Christina D. , Gifford Elizabeth J.
Published: April 2024

Objectives: To examine whether severe Gulf War illness (SGWI) case status was associated with longitudinal multimorbidity patterns. Methods: Participants were users of the Veteran Health Administration Health Care System drawn from the Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository ( n = 840). Longitudinal measures of multimorbidity were constructed using (1) electronic health records (Charlson Comorbidity Index; Elixhauser; and Veterans Affairs Frailty Index) from 10/1/1999 to 6/30/2023 and (2) self-reported medical conditions (Deficit Accumulation Index) since the war until the survey date. Accelerated failure time models examined SGWI case status as a predictor of time until threshold level of multimorbidity was reached, adjusted for age and sociodemographic and military characteristics. Results: Models, adjusted for covariates, revealed that (1) relative to the SWGI− group, the SGWI+ group was associated with an accelerated time for reaching each threshold and (2) the relationship between SGWI and each threshold was not moderated by age. Discussion: Findings suggest that veterans with SGWI experienced accelerated aging.
Study on the soft-landing of large inertia valve based on multi-objective optimization of annular gap
Authors: Zhou Gongjie , He Fengshuo , Miao Lixian , Fei Hongzi , Lu Yong
Published: April 2024

Variable valve mechanism and its technology are widely used in vehicle diesel engines. As a critical component, the performance of reciprocating actuator is the guarantee for the realization of electro-hydraulic variable valve. In order to solve the problem of high setting speed in electro-hydraulic camless variable valve system, a variable valve actuator based on annular gap buffer is proposed and optimized to realize quick closing and soft landing. The experimental results show that the actuator can achieve the purpose of setting buffer, and the setting speed is 0.5 m/s with 15 ms of closing time. AMESim is used to build the system simulation model and calibrated by experiments. The simulated lift curve is close to the experimental curve, and its Pearson coefficient is 0.9995. The influence of structural parameters on the system driving ability and buffering effect is studied through the model. According to the simulation results, the annular gap eccentricity will affect the buffering effect. When the eccentricity increases from 0.005 to 0.035 mm, the landing velocity increases by 0.1 m/s and the valve closing time decreases by 0.9 ms. NSGA-II method is used to optimize the structural parameters of the annular gap, and an obvious Pareto front is obtained and the optimal solution is applied in next experiments. The landing speed is reduced from 0.5 to 0.25 m/s, and the landing time is still less than 15 ms. This paper provides a simple cushioning scheme for electro-hydraulic camless variable valve soft landing which is independent of proportional valve.
Mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of 2D nanomaterials for advanced applications
Authors: Radhakrishnan Sidharth , Das Partha Pratim , Alam Aszad , Dwivedi Shashi Prakash , Chaudhary Vijay
Published: April 2024

The rapid development of two-dimensional (2D) Nanomaterials, primarily graphene-based nanoplates or nanosheets, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), dichalcogenides of transition metals (TMDs), MXenes, metal-/covalent- organic frameworks, (MOFs/COFs) over the last decade has been driven by the great success of graphene. Despite their high similarity in lattice structure, the uniqueness of their specific atomic arrangement gives rise to phenomenal properties such as electrical, mechanical, and thermal, and thus finds a broad array of applications in electronics, optoelectronics, energy storage devices, solar cells, composites, manufacturing, and so on. This paper majorly focuses on the various properties of 2D Nanomaterials including electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Due to the promising properties of 2D Nanomaterials, various applications of 2D Nanomaterials are highlighted. The future outlook of 2D Nanomaterials has also been discussed.
Model-data-driven control for human-leading vehicle platoon
Authors: Yang Junru , Chu Duanfeng , Lu Liping , Meng Zhenghua , Deng Kun
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes a model-data-driven control method for a human-leading vehicle platoon, comprising a human-driven vehicle (HDV) as the leader and connected automated vehicles (CAVs) as followers. Initially, a representative trajectory of HDVs is constructed using principal component analysis and the K-means clustering algorithm, which is utilized as training dataset. Subsequently, we propose a novel platooning method, named deep reinforcement learning with model-based guidance (DRLMG). The output of model predictive control (MPC) is integrated into the input state and reward function of the deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm. The DRL algorithm benefits from guidance provided by MPC, leading to more optimal decision-making. To ensure safety and stability, a safety filter is designed using control barrier function and the control Lyapunov function. Simulation experiments with real-world driving data show that DRLMG outperforms MPC, reducing speed error, spacing error, and acceleration change rate by 17.9%, 53.7%, and 47.1%, respectively. In comparison to pure DRL, DRLMG increases spacing error by 6.5% but reduces speed error by 15.4% and acceleration change rate by 14.3%. The proposed method enhances DRL’s generalization capability, dampens traffic oscillations caused by the leading HDV, and guarantees driving safety and stability.
An algorithm for estimating the ultimate speed of vehicles on wet roads
Authors: Guo Jinfei , Li Bo , Bei Shaoyi , Yin Guodong , Zhang Lanchun , Meng Fengjuan , Hu Shaofeng , Daoud Walid , Hu Mengdan
Published: April 2024

Real-time estimation of a vehicle’s ultimate hydroplaning speed is crucial for ensuring its safety and stability, especially in rainy weather conditions. This paper proposes an algorithm for estimating the ultimate hydroplaning speed of vehicles on wet and slippery road surfaces based on finite element analysis of tire. Using the ABAQUS simulation software, a finite element model of a 205/55 R16 radial tire is established. Subsequently, a fluid-structure coupling model between the tire, water layer, and road surface is developed. The finite element method is employed to simulate and analyze the effects of tire inflation pressure, water layer thickness, vertical load, and tread wear on the vehicle’s ultimate hydroplaning speed. Simulation results indicate that an increase in tire inflation pressure and vertical load leads to an increase in the ultimate hydroplaning speed, while tread wear and an increase in water layer thickness result in a decrease. Finally, based on the simulation analysis data, a BP neural network-based estimation algorithm for the vehicle’s ultimate hydroplaning speed is proposed by combining the relationship between tire inflation pressure, tire vertical load, tread wear, water layer thickness, and ultimate hydroplaning speed. The results show that the estimated ultimate hydroplaning velocity profile has a high degree of overlap with the actual ultimate hydroplaning velocity profile, with a maximum error of no more than 5 km/h and an average percentage error of 2.31416%.
“Planning for anything, not for everything:” Uncertainty and temporal coordination in social movement organizing
Authors: Colin Ruggero E
Published: April 2024

A month before the 2020 US presidential election, then President Trump amplified a false claim about poll watchers monitoring early voting in Philadelphia, stating “They were thrown out. They weren’t allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things.” The months preceding the November 3rd election featured many similar discursive attacks on the integrity of Philadelphia's election systems, part of a larger right-wing campaign to delegitimate election outcomes in advance. Fearing what this might portend for election day, dozens of local progressive movement organizations and activist groups formed the “Philadelphia Action Council” (PAC), a coordinative space for organizing and planning a mobilized response to a contested election. Strategic collective action involves the coordination of complex temporal orientations, at multiple scales, however, PAC activists couldn’t be sure when, where, or for how long they may need to mobilize, nor what sorts of targets or messages or tactics the action should be orientated around. In fact, they couldn’t be sure if they would need to mobilize at all. In this paper, I analyze the temporal structure of the PAC's “action council” model, arguing that the contingent, eventful temporality embedded in the structure of the PAC engendered similarly contingent modifications in the temporal orientations of its participants, allowing PAC activists to embrace uncertainty in ways that they typically strive to avoid. I then demonstrate how the embrace of uncertainty (somewhat paradoxically) expanded the PAC's collective capacity for improvisation and adaptation in the days following the election. This research draws on (and contributes to) critical time studies to further the emergent project of temporalities research in the field of social movements studies.
Unraveling the Impact of Widowhood Duration on Depression: Does Time Heal All Wounds?
Authors: Huang Xuehao , Tey Nai Peng , Lai Siow Li
Published: April 2024

China’s aging population has witnessed a surge in widowed older adults, raising concerns about their mental health. Losing a spouse is a profoundly distressing experience with enduring effects on well-being. Despite the proverbial belief in time’s healing power, existing studies often neglect the potential decline in depressive symptoms during widowhood. Drawing data from the 2015 and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this study delved into the impact of widowhood duration on depression among 8370 older adults and uncovered significantly higher depression scores among widowed individuals, particularly in the initial three years. This study revealed that widowhood contributes to heightened depression levels even after accounting for sociodemographic factors. Although the depressive impact lessens over time, it persists beyond three years, underscoring the need for heightened awareness and support for this vulnerable population.
Is Public Ignorance a Problem? An Epistemic Defense of Really Existing Democracies
Authors: Trantidis Aris , Cowen Nick
Published: April 2024

Does good governance require citizens to be knowledgeable of basic facts and best policy ideas? Some scholars suggest that it does, and propose disenfranchising the most ‘ignorant’ voters. In contrast, we argue, political systems are complex systems inevitably exhibiting incomplete, imperfect and asymmetric information that is dynamically generated in society from actors with diverse life experiences, antagonistic interests and often profoundly dissonant views and values, generating radical uncertainty among political elites over the consequences of their decisions. Radical uncertainty, radical dissonance and power asymmetry are inescapable properties of politics. Good performance significantly depends on how political elites navigate through radical uncertainty to handle radical dissonance. Democracy, by offering citizens equal rights to participate in politics and talk freely, both enables and compels political actors to track social feedback regarding the effects of their decisions on a diverse public, and consider it in ways that mitigate these three problems.
Book review: Eekelen, W. van. ICT and Rural Development in the Global South
Authors: Matti Stephanie
Published: April 2024

Eekelen, W. van. ICT and Rural Development in the Global South (Routledge, 2024), 226 pp. Paperback £31.99, Hardback £130.00. ISBN: 9781032588445.
Development of data anomaly classification for structural health monitoring based on iterative trimmed loss minimization and human-in-the-loop learning
Authors: Huang Shieh-Kung , Lin Tian-Xun
Published: April 2024

Huge amounts of data can be generated during long-term monitoring performed by structural health monitoring (SHM) and structural integrity management applications. Monitoring data can be corrupted, and the presence of abnormal data can distort information during signal processing, extract incorrect characteristics during system identification, produce false conclusions during damage detection, and ultimately lead to misjudgment of structural conditions during diagnosis and prognosis. Therefore, developing effective techniques to autonomously detect and classify anomalies becomes necessary and significant. Generally, conventional physics-based strategies can be straightforward, but their performance highly depends on prior knowledge of measurement. Recently, data-driven methods leveraging machine learning (ML) have been used to directly handle the task. This study proposes an ML-based classifier and improves it by incorporating the human-in-the-loop (HITL) learning. The classifier is built on a shallow neural network with high performance to address potential online or real-time applications for long-term monitoring. First, a field monitoring dataset is introduced, and various anomalies are defined to investigate the effectiveness. To further enhance the performance of the proposed classifier, the mislabels in the monitoring dataset are examined, and a correction technique is performed. Additionally, HITL ML is developed to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional correction technique. As a result, the proposed procedure can improve both the classifier and the field dataset, and the proposed classifier can now function as a fundamental component in achieving a continuous and autonomous SHM system.
Influence of hydrogen sulphide on the corrosion and hydrogenation of 07Cr16Ni6 steel
Authors: Khoma MS , Vynar VA , Chuchman MR , Vasyliv ChB , Ivashkiv VR , Halaichak SA
Published: April 2024

The effect of hydrogen sulphide concentration on the corrosion behaviour of 07Cr16Ni6 austenitic-martensitic stainless steel in a 5% NaCl  +  0.5% CH3COOH solution was studied to determine the role of H2S in the corrosion product formation and corrosion mechanism. Unstable passivation of steel is detected in a solution containing <100 mg/dm3 H2S. Steel corrodes in an electrochemically active state at >100 mg/dm3 H2S. When the pitting potential is reached, pitting damage occurs at the grain boundaries. The corrosion rate decreases by ∼five times after exposition for 720 h due to the formation of nickel and iron sulphides on the surface. Corrosion is accompanied by the absorption of 4.2–17.5 ppm hydrogen, 62…70% of which is diffusible and can cause hydrogen embrittlement. The scheme of steel corrosion under the influence of different concentrations of hydrogen sulphide is proposed.
Sex Is a Better Predictor Than Preoperative Electrodiagnostic Findings for Outcomes After Common Peroneal Nerve Decompression for Compressive Neuropathy: A Retrospective Review
Authors: DeMartini Stephen J. , Faust Amanda M. , Olafsen Nathan P. , Brogan David M. , Dy Christopher J.
Published: April 2024

Background:

There is increasing interest in the evaluation and management of compressive neuropathy of the common peroneal nerve (CPN).

Purpose:

We sought to determine demographic and electrodiagnostic predictors for resolution of symptoms after CPN decompression for compressive neuropathy. We hypothesized that severity of neuropathy (as measured by compound motor amplitudes and active or chronic denervation on electromyography) would be associated with symptom resolution after CPN decompression.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent CPN decompression and had preoperative electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies at a single institution from January 1, 2015, to April 30, 2023. We performed independent samples t-test and logistic regression to evaluate demographic and EDX study factors associated with symptom resolution.

Results:

Of the 44 patients identified, 33 reported resolution of preoperative symptoms, with no differences based on EDX findings. The likelihood of symptom resolution was significantly higher in men than women (OR = 10.62; 95% CI = 1.218, 92.677). Patient demographics were otherwise not predictive of symptom resolution.

Conclusion:

Three-quarters of our patients reported symptom resolution after CPN decompression for compressive neuropathy. While EDX studies were not predictive of outcomes, our findings suggest that sex-based factors may be contributing to outcomes. This deserves further investigation, as outcomes after surgery may be driven by preoperative characteristics such as surgeon counseling, patient expectations, or other biologic factors.
Embolization of middle meningeal artery for chronic subdural hematoma: Do we have sufficient evidence?
Authors: Shankar Jai , Alcock Susan , Milot Genevieve
Published: April 2024

Embolization of middle meningeal artery (EMMA) for chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is growing in popularity over the last two decade. Several randomized control trials are underway across the world. Indeed, the recent presentation of results from the EMBOLISE (embolization of the middle meningeal artery with onyx liquid embolic system in the treatment of subacute and chronic subdural hematoma), MAGIC-MT (middle meningeal artery treatment) and STEM (squid trial for the embolization of the MMA for the treatment of cSDH) trials at the International Stroke Congress marks a significant development in the field of neurointerventional radiology. The absence of level 1 evidence for EMMA in cSDH underscores the importance of these trials and the need for rigorous evaluation of their results. While the initial findings are promising, further analysis and interpretation are necessary to inform clinical decision-making effectively. We conclude that there may be evidence supporting EMMA for non-surgical cSDH patients, but the evidence for surgical patients is questionable and requires further study. More studies are underway, and hopefully, there will be more evidence on this topic in the coming years.
Ultrasonographic assessment of spleen size and pattern of change among sickle cell disease patients and healthy controls in North-Eastern Nigeria
Authors: Ladu Adama Isah , Jeffery Caroline , Farate Abubakar , Farouk Abubakar G , Abulfathi Fatima M , Adekile Adekunle , Bates Imelda
Published: April 2024

Background:

Ultrasonography is an established and reliable method for assessing the spleen. Because of variation due to genetic and other environmental factors including malaria endemicity, interpretation of spleen sizes requires a knowledge of the normal reference range for a given population. This study aimed to identify spleen size reference ranges across age groups of healthy controls to serve as a baseline to assess changes in spleen size in patients with sickle cell disease.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional study design, spleen size was measured in healthy people of different age groups and steady-state sickle cell disease patients (children and adults) using abdominal ultrasonography. Using the age-group-specific reference values obtained from the controls, spleens were classified into small, normal size or enlarged among the sickle cell disease patients.

Results:

The study consisted of 109 (34.8%) healthy controls and 204 (65.2%) steady-state sickle cell disease patients. The spleen was visualised in all the controls ( n = 109) and in 107 (52.4%) sickle cell disease patients. Using cut-off values for spleen length among the controls across age groups (< 5 years (5.0–7.0 cm); 5–9 years (5.5–8.5 cm); 10–14 years (6.0–11.0 cm) and ⩾ 15 years (7.0–12.5 cm)), spleen size was classified as small ( n = 18/204; 8.87%), normal ( n = 68/204; 33.3%) and enlarged ( n = 21/204; 10.3%) among the sickle cell disease patients.

Conclusion:

Model-based age-group reference ranges and percentile curves for splenic dimensions based on ultrasonography among normal controls in North-Eastern Nigeria were established and may be of value in assessing spleen sizes among sickle cell disease patients living in malaria-endemic regions of Africa.
Meta-analysis of the effects of VAR on goals scored and home advantage in football
Authors: Rogerson Mike , Knight Daniel , Scherer Reinhold , Jones Ben , McManus Chris , Waterworth Sally , Murray Kelly , Hope Ed
Published: April 2024

Video assistant referee (VAR) has been introduced to elite football (soccer) to avoid clear and obvious mistakes, especially for goal scoring situations. Some literature has reported on VAR’s impact on the game across particular league competitions. The current study meta-analysed data across two seasons (pre-VAR and post-VAR) from 20 competitions ( n = 9076 matches; men’s domestic leagues and both men’s and women’s international tournaments) to examine the overall impact that VAR initially had on number of goals scored, and the extent of inter-competition heterogeneity. A secondary aim was to determine any VAR-associated reduction in home advantage for goals scored, mean result direction and match closeness. Findings demonstrated that there were no overall statistically significant nor meaningful differences between pre and post-VAR seasons/competitions for total number of goals scored per match. Similarly, there were no VAR-associated reductions in home advantage in terms of goals scored, mean result direction and closeness of match outcome. There was moderate heterogeneity for some comparisons, and VAR lessened inter-competition variance for number of goals scored and match score closeness. Implications of findings are discussed. As the largest VAR-focused study and the first to use meta-analytic approach, the current findings are the most comprehensive and definitive to date.