bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Additive Effect of Periodontal Disease and Obesity on COVID-19 Outcomes
Authors: Larvin H. , Wilmott S. , Kang J. , Aggarwal V.R. , Pavitt S. , Wu J.
Published: July 2021

This study aims to examine the impact of periodontal disease in obesity on COVID-19 infection and associated outcomes. This retrospective longitudinal study included 58,897 UK Biobank participants tested for COVID-19 between March 2020 and February 2021. Self-reported oral health indicators (bleeding gums, painful gums, and loose teeth) were used as surrogates for periodontal disease. Body fat levels were quantified by body mass index (BMI) and categorized as normal weight (18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥30 kg/m2). Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were used to quantify risk of COVID-19 infection, hospital admission, and mortality, adjusted for participants’ demographics and covariates. Of 58,897 participants, 14,466 (24.6%) tested positive for COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 infection was higher for participants who were overweight (odds ratio, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.24) and obese (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.26 to 1.41) as compared with those of normal weight, but infection was not affected by periodontal disease. The hospital admission rate was 57% higher (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.25 to 1.97) in the obese group with periodontal disease than without periodontal disease, and admission rates increased with BMI category (normal weight, 4.4%; overweight, 6.8%; obese, 10.1%). Mortality rates also increased with BMI category (normal weight, 1.9%; overweight, 3.17%; obese, 4.5%). In addition, for participants with obesity, the mortality rate was much higher (hazard ratio, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.91 to 5.06) in participants with periodontal disease than those without. Obesity is associated with higher hospitalization and mortality rates, and periodontal disease may exacerbate this impact. The results could inform health providers, policy makers, and the general public of the importance to maintain good oral health through seamless provision of dental services and public oral health prevention initiatives.
“We Sort of Dance Around the Race Thing”: Race-Evasiveness in Teacher Education
Authors: Chang-Bacon Chris K.
Published: July 2021

The racial and linguistic diversity of U.S. classrooms has drawn attention to the intersecting dynamics of race, racism, and language learning in teacher education. While most studies in this vein focus on teachers, almost no research has focused on teacher educators themselves. Therefore, this study draws on interviews with teacher educators to document how they addressed—or more often, evaded—the topics of race and racism. Participants ( n = 33) were instructors for state-mandated courses on teaching emergent bilinguals for general educators across the state of Massachusetts. Through the lens of poststructural discourse analysis, the findings of this study demonstrate that race-evasiveness is not a byproduct of passive omission, but instead involves active, discursive effort. These findings underscore the importance of individual and collective efforts to disrupt race-evasiveness, but also illustrate the limits of surface-level race-intentionality for advancing antiracism in teacher education.
Macrantha Sealant: A Positioning Strategy
Authors: Purandare Shraddha
Published: July 2021

This case outlines the dilemma faced by an entrepreneur about promoting and positioning his product in the market. The entrepreneur was aware of the huge scope available in the Indian sealant market. Though he wanted to launch the product in the market, he was in a fix to target an appropriate market. The instructor can use the case to discuss the promotion and positioning strategy analysis to mitigate the risk. Readers must think strategically about the business performance challenges if proper strategies are not put in place.

This case can be taught to address issues of marketing management, strategic marketing, product management, etc., in management courses.
Whose Lifestyle Matters at Johannesburg Pride? The Lifestylisation of LGBTQ+ Identities and the Gentrification of Activism
Authors: Conway Daniel
Published: July 2021

In response to criticisms of whiteness and the privileging of middle-class South African experiences over the black majority and those in poverty, Johannesburg Pride expanded from a one-day event to include a ‘Lifestyle Conference’ in 2018. This article argues that rather than including broader South African LGBTQ+ experiences, rights and needs, the conference centred privileged and normative ‘lifestyles’ and emphasised individual agency, rather than making intersectional inequalities visible and a basis for collective action. Drawing from ethnographic research at Pride events, and interviews with Pride organisers and LGBTQ+ activists, this article builds on critiques and insights from social theory to analyse Johannesburg Pride’s Lifestyle Conference; its aims, politics, marketing and messages. By exploring the raced and classed exclusions of Johannesburg Pride, this article addresses key gaps in the academic literature on Pride, and traces how the lifestylisation of LGBTQ+ identities obscures inequality and contributes to the neoliberal co-option of Pride.
Examining Willingness-to-Pay and Zero Valuations for a Health Improvement with Logistic Regression
Authors: Mavrodi Afentoula G. , Chatzopoulos Stavros A. , Aletras Vassilis H.
Published: July 2021

Study aim was to elicit the Greek general population’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a health improvement (recovery to perfect health), examine attitudinal differences between willing- and unwilling-to-pay individuals regarding healthcare services provision, and investigate —using a logistic regression model—demographic/socioeconomic factors impact on their intention to pay for a health improvement. A research tool was developed to conduct a cross-sectional stated-preference telephone-based survey (January-February 2019) and a representative sample (n = 1342) of the Greek general population was queried. The computer-assisted telephone-interview (CATI) method was used to ensure random sampling. WTP was elicited using the iterative bidding technique. Participants’ attitudes toward healthcare services provision were assessed through pre-defined statements. Test-retest reliability of these statements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Logistic regression was employed to identify sociodemographic factors’ effect on WTP intention. Differences among individuals’ attitudes were assessed using the chi-square test. All analyses were conducted using the IBM SPSS Software v.25.0. Analysis showed acceptable reliability for WTP estimates (ICC = .67) and good reliability for healthcare services assessment statements (ICC = .83-.94). Mean WTP was estimated at €439.8. Respondents with higher educational level and higher household income were more likely to be willing to pay for a health improvement. On the contrary, older participants were less likely to be willing to pay. Most participants who considered public healthcare services to be of high quality were unwilling to pay. Logistic regression analysis led to the development of an effective predictive model regarding factors affecting individuals’ WTP intention for a health improvement. Further classification of unwilling-to-pay individuals into protest responders and “true” zero valuators showed that protest responders are unlikely to be representative of the population. Hence, study results can be used for debiasing WTP responses, leading to a more accurate use of WTP estimates by policy makers, exploiting WTP values in medical interventions cost-benefit analysis within reimbursement decisions framework.
Multicultural Competence Building Blocks: Multicultural Psychology Courses Promote Multicultural Knowledge and Ethnic Identity
Authors: Soto José A. , Mena Jasmine A. , Borge Marcela , Stoyer Michael R. , Witherspoon Dawn P. , Dawson-Andoh Nana A.
Published: July 2021

Background

Literature on undergraduate multicultural psychology instruction is limited. Prior research has included primarily White samples, yielded mixed results, and largely ignored assessment of learning in skills-based domains such as ethnic identity development.

Objective

We aimed to replicate and extend prior research by examining growth in multicultural knowledge and ethnic identity among students in multicultural psychology courses and considering possible moderators of this growth.

Method

Multicultural knowledge and ethnic identity were measured before and after the semester among 169 undergraduate students enrolled in multicultural psychology courses.

Results

Multicultural knowledge and ethnic identity significantly increased from before to after, but important moderators also emerged. Knowledge increase was greater among White students, while ethnic identity increased the most among White students with no multicultural experience in courses employing small-group, online discussions

Conclusion

Our findings replicate prior research by showing that multicultural courses can effectively promote multicultural knowledge and extend our understanding by demonstrating that other aspects of competence such as ethnic identity can also increase among students of these courses.

Teaching Implications

The benefits of multicultural psychology instruction are evident. However, variability in outcomes based on student and course characteristics suggests that instructors should consider these critical factors in course design.
Reducing Stereotypies for a Student With Deafblindness
Authors: Singer Isaac , Ivy Sarah E. , Myers Sasha
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Little is known about the effects of specific behavioral strategies to reduce stereotypy and self-injury for learners with sensory impairments and additional disabilities. Method: A single-subject, multi-treatment withdrawal design was used to test the isolated and combined effects of physical prompting to engage in object manipulation of preferred items, contingent reinforcement, and response blocking on target hand-related stereotypy and object manipulation for one 9-year-old boy with deafblindness and additional disabilities. Results: A functional relation was observed to show that hand-related stereotypy decreased due to prompting and reinforcement of object manipulation. Adding response blocking had inconsistent positive effects on stereotypy, and a functional relation was not observed. Prompting alone did not appear to increase object manipulation until contingent reinforcement was added, and response blocking did not appear to have an additive effect to increase object manipulation. Discussion: Results contradict findings of the replicated study and indicate need for further research, including research carried out in natural environments. Implications for Practitioners: Practitioners can use this research to justify the application of differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior using functional activities that result in meaningful reinforcement for students.
Review essay: Global and comparative perspectives on media and development
Authors: Akhtar Asif
Published: July 2021

This essay reviews the works ‘Television and the Afghan Culture Wars’ (University of Illinois Press) by Wazhmah Osman and ‘Media Imperialism in India and Pakistan’ (Routledge) by Farooq Sulehria as recent contributions to the fields of global and comparative media studies. It considers the overlapping themes in these works through ruberics of media imperialism and development in terms of growth of television industry in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan in the broad context of globalization and transnational media flows.
Foster Caregivers’ Parenting Stress as a Moderator of Change in Coparenting Following Relationship Education
Authors: Winkelman Richardson Evin , Mallette Jacquelyn K. , Futris Ted G. , Dai Yiyi , DeMeester Karen
Published: July 2021

Foster caregivers provide care to some of our most vulnerable children and often experience challenges that can interfere with family functioning, including the interparental relationship. Recent efforts have been made to provide couple relationship education (CRE) to foster caregivers to support their interparental relationship and enhance the quality of the foster home. Guided by family systems theory and adult learning theory, and using an actor–partner interdependence model, the present quasi-experimental descriptive study -examined foster caregivers’ parenting stress at baseline as a moderator of change in perceptions of coparenting support from pre-program (baseline) to post-program (4–6 weeks following CRE) to determine if higher levels of stress prior to CRE inhibits positive changes in coparenting support. While both men and women experience positive change in their perceptions of coparenting support, higher levels of parenting stress moderated positive change for men.
Exchange and Communal Strengths’ Associations With Relational Characteristics and Forgiveness
Authors: Stafford Laura , Kuiper Kimberly
Published: July 2021

Clark and Mills (2012) proposed that communal norms characterize “healthy marriages,” whereas exchange norms indicate “troubled” ones. Using the actor–partner interdependence model, we consider this proposal. Heterosexual married partners’ exchange and communal strength are examined with several relational features including trust, commitment, relational satisfaction, and control mutuality, as well as partner-specific tendencies toward forgiveness. The findings indicate that one’s communal strength is associated with positive relational features for both oneself and one’s spouse, as well as a greater propensity to forgive and lesser tendencies toward negative forgiveness (retaliation). Exchange strength was generally associated with negative forgiveness. However, the relationship between exchange strength and relational features is more complicated. Lesser communal strength was generally associated with lower levels of the relational characteristics. Yet, exchange and communal strength interacted, indicating exchange may play a protective function by buffering against the ill effects of a lack of communal strength for some relational characteristics.
Documenting L2 input and interaction during study abroad: Approaches, instruments and challenges
Authors: Mitchell Rosamond
Published: July 2021

A major rationale for study abroad (SA) from the perspective of second language acquisition is the presumed opportunity available to sojourners for naturalistic second language (L2) “immersion”. However, such opportunities are affected by variations in the linguistic, institutional and social affordances of SA, in different settings. They are also affected by the varying agency and motivation of sojourners in seeking second language (L2) engagement. For example, many sojourners prioritize mastering informal L2 speech, while others prioritize academic and professional registers including writing. Most will operate multilingually, using their home language, a local language, and/or English as lingua franca for different purposes, and the types of input they seek out, and language practices they enter into, vary accordingly. Consequently, while researchers have developed varied approaches to documenting L2 engagement, and have tried to relate these to measures of L2 development, these efforts have so far seen somewhat mixed success. This article reviews different approaches to documenting SA input and interaction; first, that of participant self-report, using questionnaires, interviews, journals, or language logs. Particular attention is paid to the popular Language Contact Profile (LCP), and to approaches drawing on Social Network Analysis. The limitations of all forms of self-report are acknowledged. The article also examines the contribution of direct observation and recording of L2 input and interaction during SA. This is a significant alternative approach for the study of acquisition, but one which poses theoretical, ethical and practical challenges. Researchers have increasingly enlisted participants as research collaborators who create small corpora through self-recording with L2 interlocutors. Analyses in this tradition have so far prioritized interactional, pragmatic and sociocultural development, in learner corpora, over other dimensions of second language acquisition (SLA). The theoretical and practical challenges of corpus creation in SA settings and their wider use to promote understandings of informal L2 learning are discussed.
Reference Case Methods for Expert Elicitation in Health Care Decision Making
Authors: Bojke Laura , Soares Marta O. , Claxton Karl , Colson Abigail , Fox Aimée , Jackson Chris , Jankovic Dina , Morton Alec , Sharples Linda D. , Taylor Andrea
Published: July 2021

Background

The evidence used to inform health care decision making (HCDM) is typically uncertain. In these situations, the experience of experts is essential to help decision makers reach a decision. Structured expert elicitation (referred to as elicitation) is a quantitative process to capture experts’ beliefs. There is heterogeneity in the existing elicitation methodology used in HCDM, and it is not clear if existing guidelines are appropriate for use in this context. In this article, we seek to establish reference case methods for elicitation to inform HCDM.

Methods

We collated the methods available for elicitation using reviews and critique. In addition, we conducted controlled experiments to test the accuracy of alternative methods. We determined the suitability of the methods choices for use in HCDM according to a predefined set of principles for elicitation in HCDM, which we have also generated. We determined reference case methods for elicitation in HCDM for health technology assessment (HTA).

Results

In almost all methods choices available for elicitation, we found a lack of empirical evidence supporting recommendations. Despite this, it is possible to define reference case methods for HTA. The reference methods include a focus on gathering experts with substantive knowledge of the quantities being elicited as opposed to those trained in probability and statistics, eliciting quantities that the expert might observe directly, and individual elicitation of beliefs, rather than solely consensus methods. It is likely that there are additional considerations for decision makers in health care outside of HTA.

Conclusions

The reference case developed here allows the use of different methods, depending on the decision-making setting. Further applied examples of elicitation methods would be useful. Experimental evidence comparing methods should be generated.
Benefits Derived from Arrival Management and Wake Turbulence Re-Categorization in China
Authors: Peng Zihan , Zhang Junfeng , Xiang Tong , Wang Bin , Guo Haipeng
Published: July 2021

Air traffic administration requires evidence when promoting new technology or a new concept of operation. Therefore, when decision support tools are applied, it is necessary to analyze the costs and benefits quantitatively. This paper focuses on the evaluation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) correlated with the improvement of arrival operations after the implementation of the Arrival Management (AMAN) system and Wake Turbulence Re-categorization in China (RECAT-CN). Firstly, we give an overview of the implementation of the AMAN system and RECAT in China. Secondly, the KPIs related to the arrival operation are established according to the characteristics of AMAN and RECAT-CN, based on the existing KPI systems in the field of Air Traffic Management (ATM). The proposed KPIs are: airport acceptance rate; final approach interval; flight time within the terminal area (TMA); and taxi-in time. Thirdly, arrival operation within the TMA around Guangzhou International Airport is used as an example to carry out the quantitative analysis. The region and time range were defined for the performance comparison, and external factors were also examined. Finally, using descriptive and inferential statistics, the proposed KPIs’ comparison results are presented and visualized. Such results indicate a significant improvement in arrival operation with the AMAN system and RECAT-CN at Guangzhou International Airport.
Crowd-in Effect of Highway Capital on Private Investment in the United States
Authors: Yu Bingxin , Vulov Valentin
Published: July 2021

This paper examines the impacts of public transportation infrastructure investment on private investment and whether public infrastructure investment tends to “crowd in” or “crowd out” private investment. “Crowding in” refers to situations where public investment encourages private sector investment, whereas “crowding out” refers to situations where public investment discourages private sector investment. This analysis applies the vector autoregression (VAR) methodology for an empirical study. Using national-level annual data from 1947 to 2017 in the United States, estimation results suggest that public investment in highways tends to crowd in private investment after an initial and temporary crowding-out effect. Most of the positive impacts on private investment accrue within 3 years after the initial public investment. The incremental impact diminishes almost completely after roughly 10 years. Alternative model specifications and sensitivity analyses further confirm the robustness of the model specification by yielding consistent and positive crowd-in effects within the first 3 to 5 years after the public investment.
Two-Lane Highway Crash Severities: Correlated Random Parameters Modeling Versus Incorporating Interaction Effects
Authors: Farid Ahmed , Alrejjal Anas , Ksaibati Khaled
Published: July 2021

Two-lane highways represent the majority of highways in the U.S. and their safety is of crucial concern. Even though road safety researchers intensively evaluated two-lane highway safety, past studies were challenged by a methodological hindrance, namely that of correlated random parameters (CRP) modeling methods. Random parameters models capture unobserved heterogeneity effects of crash contributing factors, while CRP models offer the additional benefit of capturing correlations among variables inducing such unobserved heterogeneity effects. However, CRP models do not permit specifying pairs of regressors, with statistically insignificant correlations, to be uncorrelated. In this research, it was demonstrated that the conventional uncorrelated random parameters ordinal probit (URPOP) structure with interaction effects outperformed the correlated random parameters ordinal probit (CRPOP) structure when modeling injury severity risks of two-lane highway crashes in Wyoming. As per the former model’s results, speeding, head-on collisions, sideswipe opposite-direction collisions, intersecting-direction collisions, motorcycle involvement, impaired driving, distracted driving, the interaction effect of speeding with motorcycle involvement, that of head-on collisions with impaired driving, and that of head-on collisions with commercial vehicle involvement all raised the likelihood of sustaining severe injuries. Conversely, leaving the crash scene, proper seat belt use, wet road surfaces, and the interaction effect of impaired driving with motorcycle involvement alleviated the risk of incurring severe injuries. The superiority of the proposed model and its reduced computation time warrant its recommendation for implementation in future studies. Also, from a practical perspective, safety mitigation measures are suggested based on this research’s findings.
Building Information Modeling for Bridges and Structures: Outcomes and Lessons Learned from the Steel Bridge Industry
Authors: Costin Aaron , Hu Hanjin , Medlock Ronald
Published: July 2021

The recent push to adopt building information modeling (BIM) for bridges and structures in the transportation industry has encountered major barriers owing to the lack of standardization. Unlike the building industry that has the National BIM Standard®–United States (NBIMS-US™) as a formal open platform standard and guide for the development of interoperable BIM software, the transportation industry does not currently have a similar open platform standard to enable the creation of interoperable BIM software to serve the needs of transportation stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of the research for one of the first use cases and development of data exchange requirements and model view definitions in adopting the open platform NBIMS-US applied to bridges and structures for the U.S. transportation industry. A subcommittee of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the National Steel Bridge Alliance Steel Bridge Collaboration was formed to conduct a pilot study into the creation of information delivery manuals (IDMs) for steel bridges. This study served as pilot for the development of future IDMs in the transportation industry. As a result, the current IDM for Steel Bridge Detailing and Fabrication serves as the starting point of TPF-5(372) BIM for Bridges and Structures development of the Design to Fabrication model view definition. Finally, this study provided the outcomes and recommendations needed to expedite the development of IDMs for other use cases in the bridge and transportation industry.
Developing Mixed Traffic Equivalency Factors to Estimate Saturation Flow at Urban Signalized Intersections
Authors: Patel Pinakin N. , Dhamaniya Ashish
Published: July 2021

This study proposes a time occupancy approach to estimate passenger car units (PCUs) at urban signalized intersections with different interaction levels between vehicles under saturated green time conditions. The study shows a variation in PCUs with varied traffic and geometric conditions. Traffic data have been collected through videography techniques at signalized intersections in three metropolitan cities in India. Traffic flow discharge and clearance time of different vehicular categories have been extracted from the video during the saturated green time. The observed ranges of dynamic PCU values for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, big cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy vehicles are 0.12 to 0.32, 0.45 to 0.80, 1.40 to 1.80, 1.60 to 2.20, and 3.50 to 6.50, respectively. Regression-based PCU models have been developed for each vehicle category to address the variation of individual vehicle PCUs with traffic compositions and flow rates. The model analysis shows that traffic compositions and flow rates are significantly affecting the PCU values. The PCU is a complex parameter requiring several field attributes. Therefore, to overcome the complexity of estimating PCUs, a concept of flow equivalency factor (FEF) has been proposed based on the estimated PCUs. The FEF can directly convert the mixed motorized vehicular flow into an equivalent standard passenger car flow without actually making use of different vehicles’ PCU factors. All the developed models have been validated for field conditions and results are found promising with field data. The developed approach can be used effectively for developing countries with a mixed traffic stream.
Bike Count Forecast Model with Multimodal Network Connectivity Measures
Authors: Liu Bingqing , Bade Divya , Chow Joseph Y. J.
Published: July 2021

With the rise of cycling as a mode choice for commuting and short-distance delivery, as well as policy objectives encouraging this trend, bike count models are increasingly critical to transportation planning and investment. Studies have found that network connectivity plays a role in such models, but there remains a lack of measure for the connectivity of a link in a multimodal trip context. This study proposes a connectivity measure that captures the importance of a link in connecting the origins of cyclists and nearby subway stations, and incorporates it in a negative binomial regression model to forecast bike counts at links. Representative bike trips are generated with regard to bike-friendliness using the New York City transit trip planner and used to determine the deviation from the shortest path via the designated link. The measure is shown to improve model fitness with a significance level within 10%. Insights are also drawn for income levels, bike lanes, subway station availability, and average commute time of travelers.
Evaluation of Asphalt Mixture Performance Using Cracking and Durability Tests at a Full-Scale Pavement Facility
Authors: Golalipour Amir , Veginati Varun , Mensching David J.
Published: July 2021

In the asphalt materials community, the most critical research need is centered around a paradigm shift in mixture design from the volumetric process of the previous 20-plus years to an optimization procedure based on laboratory-measured mechanical properties that should lead to an increase in long-term pavement performance. This study is focused on advancing the state of understanding with respect to the value of intermediate temperature cracking tests, which may be included in a balanced mix design. The materials included are plant-mixed, laboratory-compacted specimens reheated from the 2013 Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) study on reclaimed asphalt pavement/reclaimed asphalt shingle (RAP/RAS) materials. Six commonly discussed intermediate temperature (cracking and durability) performance testing (i.e., Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester [AMPT] Cyclic Fatigue, Cantabro, Illinois Flexibility Index Test [I-FIT], Indirect Tensile Cracking [ITC, also known as IDEAL-CT], Indirect Tensile Nflex, and Texas Overlay Test) were selected for use in this study based on input from stakeholders. Test results were analyzed to compare differences between the cracking tests. In addition, statistical analyses were conducted to assess the separation among materials (lanes) for each performance test. Cyclic fatigue and IDEAL-CT tests showed the most promising results. The ranking from these two tests’ index parameters matched closely with ALF field performance. Furthermore, both showed reasonable variability of test data and they were successful in differentiating between different materials.
Benefits of Compiling and Analyzing Hydraulic-Design Data for Bridges
Authors: Benedict Stephen T. , Knight Thomas P.
Published: July 2021

The hydraulic design of bridges is a discipline that requires a strong measure of engineering judgment. Developing good engineering judgment can take years of experience, and generally increases one project at a time. A supplemental tool that can promote the development of engineering knowledge and judgment is to compile, analyze, and graphically present hydraulic data associated with stream and bridge-design characteristics from previously analyzed bridges. If the data set is sufficiently large, graphs developed from such an effort can provide the engineer with an enhanced picture of stream and bridge-design characteristics, helping them further develop their engineering knowledge and judgment. Furthermore, such graphs can function as project scoping tools and hydraulic-design review tools. Using selected data from approximately 300 bridge-scour studies in South Carolina, previously conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, and limited hydraulic bridge-design data for approximately 200 bridges in South Carolina, trends in stream and bridge-hydraulic characteristics were evaluated including channel width, floodplain width, flood flow depths, stream slopes, bridge backwater, bridge flow velocity, and bridge lengths. Selected relationships are presented in this paper and should serve as a valuable tool for better understanding stream and bridge-hydraulic characteristics in South Carolina.
Queue Analysis at Work Zones from Field-Collected Data
Authors: Codjoe Julius , Thapa Raju , Mitran Elisabeta
Published: July 2021

Estimation of the capacity of work zones is vital to manage the possibility of traffic flows exceeding capacity and resulting in unbearable queues during work zone lane closures. A plethora of research papers have studied several ways to estimate work zone capacity, with the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) having its own methodology to estimate capacity based on various site characteristics. However, HCM always recommends validating its model with local data to reflect the actual driving behavior of the region. This study considered work zone capacity as a function of queue discharge rate (QDR), defined as the 15-min average flow rate immediately after breakdown, also known as postbreakdown flow rate. By collecting data from 10 different work zones within the state of Louisiana, the study estimated QDR and its corresponding duration at breakdowns. An average QDR of 1,664 pcphpl and an associated queue of 120 min average duration was found. Analysis of variance showed that average QDRs across all sites were not significantly different. The QDR prediction model revealed that a closed right lane and a work zone on linear roadways significantly increased the discharge rate. However, the presence of nearby exit ramps, daytime scenarios, and an increase in the speed ratio and truck percentages were found to decrease the discharge rate. A separate model for the duration of queue or breakdown found the time of day, change in the speed ratio, presence of entry ramp, location of work zones, and annual average daily traffic of the roadway to be significant variables.
A Deep Learning Model for Off-Ramp Hourly Traffic Volume Estimation
Authors: Nohekhan Amir , Zahedian Sara , Haghani Ali
Published: July 2021

This paper addresses estimation of traffic volume of freeway off-ramps. Freeways are the transportation network’s main corridors, serving a large portion of the traffic volume. This traffic passes into the lower-level roads through off-ramps. Therefore, the traffic condition of the off-ramps is an essential factor affecting the operation of the transportation network. The continuous collection of volume data is impractical, and transportation authorities install vehicle detectors permanently on only a few off-ramps and temporarily (e.g., a week) on some others. Thus, traffic volume is the most challenging to estimate among various traffic measures. Moreover, the existing literature on volume estimation is mainly concerned with evaluating traffic on the main road segments. However, the distinct characteristics of the connection links, such as off-ramps, demands specified modeling. This study estimates the hourly traffic volume of off-ramps using a deep learning model. It evaluates the advantages of inputting the connected lower-level road features to the model, and explores various detector installation strategies on the model training process. The primary data sources are volume counts, probe speeds, and road segment infrastructure characteristics. The model results indicate that the incorporation of traffic flow characteristics and infrastructure attributes of the lower-level road connected to the freeway significantly improves the accuracy of estimation off-ramp traffic volume. Further, analysis illustrated that the model trained with data from temporarily installed detectors on all interchanges outperformed models trained with permanently installed detectors on 90% of the interchanges, indicating the model’s ability in extracting temporal correlations significantly more than spatial correlations.
Young Women’s Experiences With Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence From Male Strangers
Authors: Salerno-Ferraro Alisha C. , Erentzen Caroline , Schuller Regina A.
Published: July 2021

Stranger-perpetrated harassment was identified decades ago to describe the pervasive, unwanted sexual attention women experience in public spaces. This form of harassment, which has evolved in the modern era, targets women as they navigate online spaces, social media, texting, and online gaming. The present research explored university-aged women’s experiences (n = 381) with online male-perpetrated sexual harassment, including the nature and frequency of the harassment, how women responded to the harassment, and how men reportedly reacted to women’s strategies. Trends in harassment experiences are explored descriptively and with thematic analysis. Most women reported receiving sexually inappropriate messages (84%, n = 318), sexist remarks or comments (74%, n = 281), seductive behavior or come-ons (70%, n = 265), or unwanted sexual attention (64%, n = 245) in an online platform, social media account, email, or text message. This sexual attention from unknown males often began at a very young age (12-14 years). The harassment took many forms, including inappropriate sexual comments on social media posts, explicit photos of male genitalia, and solicitations for sex. Although most women reported strong negative emotional reactions to the harassment (disgust, fear, anger), they generally adopted non-confrontational strategies to deal with the harassment, electing to ignore/delete the content or blocking the offender. Women reported that some men nevertheless persisted with the harassment, following them across multiple sites online, escalating in intensity and severity, and leading some women to delete their own social media accounts. These results suggest the need for early intervention and education programs and industry response.
Development of an Online Telepharmacy Service in the Philippines and Analysis of Its Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Plantado Aldrin Nico R. , de Guzman Harold Joshua dV. , Mariano Jose Emmanuel C. , Salvan Maria Rosewynn Anne R. , Benosa Christine Aileen C. , Robles Yolanda R.
Published: July 2021

Background: To augment traditional sources of health information at a time of reduced accessibility, a free online telepharmacy service was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study details the process of developing and operating an online telepharmacy service, analyzes its usage, and assesses users’ health information-seeking patterns. Methods: The service utilized various platforms for receiving and processing queries, communication, and promotion. Submissions received from March 20 to May 31, 2020 were processed for analysis. Parameters analyzed were time patterns of query submission, response time, service feedback, user and patient demographics, and subjects of inquiry. Results: A total of 271 queries were analyzed. Query frequency decreased over time, consistent with relaxation of quarantine restrictions and increasing availability of information. Peak hours of query influx were outside typical business hours. The majority of users were from the general public (93.8%) and preferred to receive responses through text (61.2%). The majority of users from the general public belonged to the 15- to 25-year-old age group (41.1%) and sought information for oneself. Most submissions mentioned COVID-related topics. From the general public, there was greatest interest in drug indications and vitamins, supplements, and herbal products, and from healthcare professionals, in drug procurement. Users who provided feedback (n = 12) all expressed satisfaction with the service and the information they received. Conclusion: Transition to the “new normal” entails adopting alternative platforms to augment traditional sources of health information. An online telepharmacy service may be utilized to provide and clarify medication information as part of primary care.
Tracking and vibration control of a free-floating space manipulator system with flexible links and joints
Authors: Huang Yuming , Chen Weidong , Shao Minqiang
Published: July 2021

The problem of modeling and controlling of a free-floating space manipulator with flexures in both links and joints is addressed in this study. A mathematical model of the system is developed by combining Lagrange’s equations and momentum conservation. The finite element method is introduced to discretize multi-links with complex cross-sections. In order to reduce the dimensions and maintain the precision of a rigid-flexible coupled system, an iterated improved reduction system method is adopted. Then, a novel composite control scheme for the reduced system is presented that uses the concept of integral manifolds and singular perturbation theory. Finally, an augmented computed torque controller is applied to the under-actuated slow subsystem to realize trajectory tracking in joint space, while a linear-quadratic controller is designed to damp out the vibration of joints and links. Numerical simulation results verified that the proposed hybrid controller can successfully suppress vibration and track trajectory at the same time.
Position and velocity estimation with a low Earth orbit regional navigation satellite constellation
Authors: Shtark Tomer , Gurfil Pini
Published: July 2021

Position and velocity estimation using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) has been widely studied and implemented. In contrast to existing GNSS, the idea of using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for position and velocity determination is relatively new. On one hand, the launch to LEO is more affordable compared to GNSS orbits. On the other hand, LEO satellites provide reduced coverage and suffer from orbit determination uncertainties. In this article, we study position and velocity estimation for an aerial platform using signals from a LEO satellite constellation, designed to produce a relatively long coverage duration, while minimizing the geometric dilution of precision. We determine the receiver’s position by using the trilateration method and the velocity by using Doppler estimation, and improve the accuracy thereof by utilizing an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). We suggest a solution for the trilateration initialization problem, which arises for LEO navigation satellites, which relies on averaging the Earth projection of all the satellites within sight. We examine two scenarios, one wherein the EKF’s dynamical model matches the reference dynamical model, and another with a model mismatch. When the dynamical model is approximated, the EKF reduces the position and velocity errors considerably. When the dynamical model is known, the position and velocity errors can be reduced by an order of magnitude.
An exploitation-enhanced multi-objective efficient global optimization algorithm for expensive aerodynamic shape optimizations
Authors: Deng Feng , Qin Ning
Published: July 2021

The traditional multi-objective efficient global optimization (EGO) algorithms have been hybridized and adapted to solving the expensive aerodynamic shape optimization problems based on high-fidelity numerical simulations. Although the traditional EGO algorithms are highly efficient in solving some of the optimization problems with very complex landscape, it is not preferred to solve most of the aerodynamic shape optimization problems with relatively low-degree multi-modal design spaces. A new infill criterion encouraging more local exploitation has been proposed by hybridizing two traditional multi-objective expected improvements (EIs), namely, statistical multi-objective EI and expected hypervolume improvement, in order to improve their robustness and efficiency in aerodynamic shape optimization. Different analytical test problems and aerodynamic shape optimization problems have been investigated. In comparison with traditional multi-objective EI algorithms and a standard evolutionary multi-objective optimization algorithm, the proposed method is shown to be more robust and efficient in the tests due to its hybrid characteristics, easier handling of sub-optimization problems, and enhanced exploitation capability.
Whistleblowing and the ‘Person-Situation’ Conundrum: What Matters More?
Authors: Gakhar Meenal , Mulla Zubin R.
Published: July 2021

This article extends the knowledge on whistleblowing by studying the impact of two individual antecedents (moral foundations and personality traits) and two situational factors (ethical leadership and leader–member exchange) on whistleblowing intentions. We presented 203 management students with a situation and assessed their likelihood of whistleblowing. Model estimations found strong support for situational factors overpowering the individual factors in determining the whistleblowing intentions. We found that ethical leadership was positively, and leader–member exchange negatively related with whistleblowing. In the presence of these situational factors, neither the Big Five personality traits, nor the moral foundations of a person seemed to matter in predicting an individual’s whistleblowing behaviour.
Identifying and Ranking Processes Influencing Career Path of Knowledge Employees
Authors: Gelard Parvaneh
Published: July 2021

Experts believe that the essentials for the effective use of knowledge employees and their retention in an organization are to develop the necessary motivators for knowledge workers in different domains. In the meantime, the transparency and vividness rate of career paths are among the most significant extrinsic motivators that play an undeniable role in enhancing the motivation of knowledge workers. Hence, this study identified the processes that influenced the career path management of knowledge workers and ranked them based on a descriptive–exploratory inquiry. The statistical population of this study included qualitative and quantitative phases. The statistical population of the qualitative phase consisted of university experts, as well as pundits in human resources management, and knowledge employees in the Tehran Municipality shaped the population of the quantitative phase. The data were collected through library and field studies (semi-structured interviews with experts and a 7-point Likert questionnaire). The content analysis method was employed for the qualitative analysis of the data, and the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach with the grey numbers theory was used for the quantitative analysis of the data. Overall, the qualitative phase gave rise to five influencing factors in the career path management of knowledge employees. Likewise, the findings of the quantitative phase revealed that the empowering processes, with a utility coefficient of 0.271, enjoyed the highest priority and the structural process, with a utility coefficient of 0.125, had the least priority among the processes influencing the career path management of knowledge workers.
Not a Penny off the Pay, Not a Second on the Day: Long-term Wage Settlement at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Authors: Balasubramanian Girish , Jena Lalatendu Kesari
Published: July 2021

This case study presents the delicately poised situation of the workers who were on strike, demanding better wages from their employer, during wage negotiations in India. It highlights the dispute resolution mechanisms, the rubric to evaluate the strike as well as whether wages are to be paid for the duration of the strike period within the framework of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, of India. This case study is based on the strike, which occurred in September 2019, during the wage settlement at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is developed completely from secondary and publicly available reports and information. The researchers have used the specific legislative framework of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, of India to understand certain practical aspects of the applications of the legislation.

The major issues highlighted in this specific case study are the process outlined for the workers to go on a strike, rubric to evaluate a strike and whether wages are to be paid for the duration of the strike period. It is also a good case study to explore the strategies for effective collective bargaining when one is at a relative disadvantage as opposed to their opponents.